FAA Issues Advisory Circular Update On Non-Towered Airport Operations

The FAA has issued an updated Advisory Circular (AC 90-66C) providing fresh guidance on operations at non-towered airports. While much of the 28-page document reaffirms existing information on preflight planning, charts, weather information and other fundamentals, the AC is very specific on traffic pattern entry, traffic pattern flow, and communications and phraseology. For example, section 8.2.1 of the AC reads: “The FAA does not regulate traffic pattern entry, only traffic pattern flow. This means that when entering the traffic pattern at an airport without an operating control tower, inbound pilots are expected to observe other aircraft already in the pattern and to conform to the traffic pattern in use.”

The AC also advises that “an aircraft on an instrument approach flying on the final approach course to land would follow the requirements dictated by the approach procedure. Further, to mitigate the risk of a midair collision at a non-towered airport in other than instrument conditions, the FAA does not recommend that the pilot execute a straight-in approach for landing when there are other aircraft in the traffic pattern. The straight-in approach may cause a conflict with aircraft in the traffic pattern and on base to final and increase the risk of a midair collision.”

On communications best practices, the AC provides detailed guidance on the “self-announce” procedure: “‘Self-announce’ is a procedure whereby pilots broadcast their aircraft call sign, position, altitude, and intended flight activity or ground operation on the designated CTAF. … Self-announcing should include aircraft type to aid in identification and detection, but should not use paint schemes or color descriptions to replace the use of the aircraft call sign.” The AC further admonishes: “When referring to a specific runway, pilots should use the runway number and not use the phrase ‘Active Runway,’" adding, "To help identify one airport from another when sharing the same frequency, the airport name should be spoken at the beginning and end of each self-announce transmission.”

The AC also reminds pilots: "The use of the phrase ‘ANY TRAFFIC IN THE AREA, PLEASE ADVISE’ is not a recognized self-announce position and/or intention phrase and should not be used under any condition.”