Please be advised FAA has received information concerning CTAF communications and requests flight schools and Certified Flight Instructors (CFI) review the information identified below.
- Advisory Circular (AC) 90-66 as revised, Non-Towered Airport Operations with Certified Flight Instructors (CFI) and students to ensure their understanding of safety-essential information with regards to recommended communication practices found in para. 10.1 (4) page 12.
- Airman Information Manual (AIM) Chapter 3 and 4 for information pertinent to non-towered airport communications.
- Explain to student airmen that the CTAF is a frequency designated for the purpose of carrying out airport advisory practices while operating to or from an airport without an operating control tower.
- The CTAF may be a Universal Integrated Community (UNICOM), MULTICOM, Flight Service Station (FSS), or tower frequency and is identified in appropriate aeronautical publications.
- On pilot request, UNICOM stations may provide pilots with weather information, wind direction, the recommended runway, or other necessary information.
- Please review and consider VHF communication transmission range. Depending on atmospheric conditions and aircraft altitude, CTAF transmissions can be received over large distances. General aviation, commercial, corporate, military and FAA aircraft receive these transmissions and may be relegated to monitoring personal non-safety-essential conversations during operations.
- Range (NM) = 1.23 X square root (height in feet)
This message is provided as a courtesy outreach from the Alabama Northwest Florida Flight Standards District Office, FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) in the spirit of improving general aviation safety, professionalism and efficiency.
For additional information contact
FAASTeam
205-876-1300
BHM FSDO
