RPT FROM CTLR CLAIMS THAT PMH NDB IS NOTAMED OTS INDEFINITELY; HOWEVER; THE NAVAID STILL REMAINS ON THE AIR.

Narrative

THE PMH NDB FAILED AN FAA FLT INSPECTION IN LATE 1991; AND WAS NOTAMED OTS. SINCE THAT TIME; THE NDB HAS CONTINUED TO RADIATE ON THE ADVERTISED FREQ OF 373 KHZ; WITH ITS IDENT PMH ON THE AIR. THE LATEST FAA ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY (MAY/XX/93) SHOWS THE NDB AS OTS INDEFINITELY; AS DOES THE FAA'S BATTLE CREEK FLT INSPECTION OFFICE AT PMH ARPT. PARAGRAPH 1-14 OF THE AIM SAYS THAT THE IDENT WILL BE REMOVED OR T-E-S-T PUT IN ITS PLACE WHEN A NAVAID IS OTS. ADDITIONALLY; PARAGRAPH 1-2 OF THE AIM SAYS THAT RECEPTION OF AN NDB'S MORSE CODE IDENT LIKELY INDICATES NORMAL OP OF THE NAVAID. AT PRESENT; ONLY THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY AND THE L-22 CHART INDICATE THAT THE NDB IS OR MAY BE OTS. THE INST APCH CHART FOR NDB RWY 36 IS STILL PUBLISHED WITHOUT ANY NOTE ON IT AS TO THE NDB'S STATUS. MANY LCL PLTS CONTINUE TO USE THE NDB AND THE APCH IN VFR CONDITIONS. ONE LCL FLT SCHOOL USES THE PMH NDB FOR BOTH NAV AND APCH TRAINING. I SUGGEST THAT IF THE NDB IS UNABLE TO PASS THE REQUIRED FAA FLT INSPECTION FOR IFR USE; THAT THE NDB BE MADE A VFR USE NDB. ALSO; UNTIL SUCH TIME AS A DECISION IS MADE; THE MORSE CODE IDENT PMH SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED; AND/OR THE MORSE CODE T-E-S-T PUT IT ITS PLACE. EVEN BETTER MAY BE TO REMOVE THE NDB FROM THE AIR UNTIL IT MEETS SPECS OR IS MADE A VFR USE ONLY NDB. CONTINUED USE OF THIS NDB DURING ITS PRESENT STATUS IS A HAZARD; AND COULD BE TEACHING DANGEROUS PATTERNS TO OTHER PLTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH DAY AFSS REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: A CALL TO DAY AFSS REVEALS THAT THE EXISTING NOTAM ON PMH STATES THAT IT IS UNUSABLE FOR IFR. IT DOES NOT STATE THAT IT CAN'T BE USED FOR VFR OR PRACTICE NDB APCHS.