A SMALL SINGLE ENG ACFT DEPARTED AAO FOR 1K1 FOR TKOF AND LNDG PRACTICE WITH AN INSTRUCTOR. PLT AND INSTRUCTOR WERE NOT AWARE OF AND DID NOT UTILIZE THE AVAILABILITY OF UNICOM NOR DID HE OBSERVE THE PROPER TFC PATTERN FOR THE RWY IN USE.

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RPTR RECEIVING PIC CHK IN TAILWHEEL ACFT FROM CFI. CREW DEPARTED AAO ARPT FOR 1K1 ARPT FOR SEVERAL TKOFS/LNDGS. CFI STATED HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH OPS AT 1K1 ARPT (SMALL GA AIRPARK) AND HAD RECENTLY CONDUCTED TKOFS AND LNDGS THERE. UNAWARE THAT ARPT DID INDEED HAVE A UNICOM SVC; CFI DID NOT TUNE APPROPRIATE TA FREQ. RPTR TUNED 122.9 KHZ FOR TA'S. CFI INSTRUCTED RPTR TO OPERATE IN L-HAND TFC FOR RWY 16 -- NO OBSERVABLE ARPT MARKINGS DISAGREED WITH THIS STATEMENT. FOLLOWING FLT; 1K1 ARPT MGR TELEPHONED FBO OWNER TO COMPLAIN THAT THIS ACFT WAS TO HAVE UTILIZED UNICOM FREQ 123.0; AND R TFC FOR RWY 16. CFI CALLED ARPT MGR TO APOLOGIZE. LESSON LEARNED: IRRESPECTIVE OF A CFI'S CURRENT EXPERIENCE OR STATEMENTS REGARDING SAME; IT IS CRUCIAL THAT A PLT (STUDENT; COPLT; OR OTHERWISE) UNFAMILIAR WITH A PARTICULAR OP CHK ALL DETAILS FOR HIMSELF (AFD; IN THIS SIT) PRIOR TO COMMENCING SUCH AN OP. ALTHOUGH OTHER TFC WAS OBSERVED IN THE ARPT VICINITY ALSO PERFORMING NONSTANDARD PATTERN OPS; AND NO COLLISION HAZARD EXISTED IN THIS INSTANCE; COMPLIANCE WITH APPROVED TFC PATTERN PROCS CERTAINLY MINIMIZE THE RISK OF MIDAIR COLLISION. RPTR WILL BE MORE CAUTIOUS BEFORE OPERATING TO AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT.