C208 ATX PLT CONCERNED WITH MHR ARPT AIRSPACE CLASSIFICATION AND PLT RESPONSIBILITIES.
Synopsis
C208 ATX PLT CONCERNED WITH MHR ARPT AIRSPACE CLASSIFICATION AND PLT RESPONSIBILITIES.
Narrative
I FLY OUT OF MATHER ARPT ON A REGULAR BASIS; BUT RECENTLY I DEPARTED FROM THERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. I FOUND THE NOTAM CLASS D; CURRENT AFD; CURRENT COMMERCIAL CHART; AND CURRENT SECTIONAL CHARTS TO LEAD TO CONFUSION AS TO WHAT AIRSPACE THE ARPT ACTUALLY IS; WHAT RWYS WERE OPEN FOR CERTAIN TIMES; AND IF THE CTL TWR WAS ACTUALLY AN ADVISORY SVC OR NOT; I HAD PLANNED ON DEPARTING VFR IN CLASS G AIRSPACE WITH 1 1/4 MI VIS; BUT IT APPEARED THAT THIS MAY NOT BE CONSISTENT WITH SAFETY; EVEN THOUGH THE TWR WAS CALLING THE ARPT VFR. THIS IN ITSELF WAS PUZZLING; SINCE IF THE TWR WAS ACTUALLY IN OP; AND REGULATORY IN NATURE; SHOULDN'T THE AIRSPACE BE CLASS D? AS A RESULT OF THIS CONFUSION; I ELECTED TO DEPART ON AN IFR CLRNC. LCL CHARTS DEPICT THE AIRSPACE AS CLASS G; AND RWY 22R/4L AS CLOSED; YET NOTAMS MENTION THE TWR IS OPEN; AND SO IS RWY 22R/4L. WHAT THEN CONSTITUTES CLASS D AIRSPACE? SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO; CLARIFY THE 'MATHER MESS.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR CONCERNED WITH EXACT AIRSPACE ALLOCATION AND COMPANY REQUIREMENTS; DEFERRING TO COMPANY PROCS TO UTILIZE IFR DEP PROCS. RPTR HAD NOT ASKED CHIEF PLT TO ASSIST IN CLARIFICATIONS THROUGH COMPANY POI. AN FAA REPRESENTATIVE ADVISED THAT MHR CLASS D REGULATORY ACTION WAS PROCEEDING THROUGH RULE MAKING AND MHR WAS EXPECTED TO BE NOTIFIED IN MARCH; 2001; OF ITS AIRSPACE CLASSIFICATION CHANGE FROM CLASS G/E TO CLASS D. LCL NOTAMS HAVE BEEN ISSUED; BUT THE DOMESTIC/INTL NOTICE TO AIRMAN PUB NOTIFYING MHR AIRSPACE ALLOCATION AND ARPT NOTAMS; HAD INADVERTENTLY BEEN MISSED. CORRECTIONS ARE EXPECTED AT THE NEXT PUB CYCLE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.