Narrative:

The CTAF frequency at west 97 was recently changed from 122.8 to 122.9. This change is shown on instrument approach chart and airport/facility directory for this airport, but the change is not positively shown on the washington sectional. The old sectionals listed 122.8. The most recent sectional simply drops the frequency listing. This airport is home to a very active skydive drop zone, and is busy each weekend with a mix of skydive operations, corp operations (turbo propeller) and training flts (based elsewhere), in everything from small aircraft to helicopters to turbo jet aircraft. Safety is greatly enhanced when everyone is on the same CTAF and using it. Recently a corp turbo propeller based at west 97 started, taxied and departed, west/O making a single transmission on 122.9, while skydivers and the jump plane were in the air. Earlier that day a transient small aircraft Y requested airport advisories on 122.9--they had the correct frequency. Later that day an small aircraft Z, based at a nearby aeronautical club, entered the pattern ahead of me west/O calling on 122.9. I switched to 122l8 and asked if that aircraft was on the frequency. It was, and I recognized the voice as an instrument. It seems that student and low time pilots will find the correct frequency (because they do not assume anything), while the 'old hands' will keep using the old CTAF for some time. I would like to suggest that (when a frequency change such as this is made), the new frequency be printed on sectional charts for at least 1 yr, rather than simply deleting the old CTAF. Even highway engrs know enough to erect a warning sign to motorists when a traffic light or other change is made to an existing road. I expect the FAA and/or noas to be at least as smart as the highway folks.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT REPORTS THAT THE NEW CTAF FREQ HAS BEEN OMITTED FROM THE LATEST WASHINGTON SECTIONAL.

Narrative: THE CTAF FREQ AT W 97 WAS RECENTLY CHANGED FROM 122.8 TO 122.9. THIS CHANGE IS SHOWN ON INSTRUMENT APCH CHART AND ARPT/FAC DIRECTORY FOR THIS ARPT, BUT THE CHANGE IS NOT POSITIVELY SHOWN ON THE WASHINGTON SECTIONAL. THE OLD SECTIONALS LISTED 122.8. THE MOST RECENT SECTIONAL SIMPLY DROPS THE FREQ LISTING. THIS ARPT IS HOME TO A VERY ACTIVE SKYDIVE DROP ZONE, AND IS BUSY EACH WEEKEND WITH A MIX OF SKYDIVE OPS, CORP OPS (TURBO PROP) AND TRNING FLTS (BASED ELSEWHERE), IN EVERYTHING FROM SMA TO HELIS TO TURBO JET ACFT. SAFETY IS GREATLY ENHANCED WHEN EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME CTAF AND USING IT. RECENTLY A CORP TURBO PROP BASED AT W 97 STARTED, TAXIED AND DEPARTED, W/O MAKING A SINGLE XMISSION ON 122.9, WHILE SKYDIVERS AND THE JUMP PLANE WERE IN THE AIR. EARLIER THAT DAY A TRANSIENT SMA Y REQUESTED ARPT ADVISORIES ON 122.9--THEY HAD THE CORRECT FREQ. LATER THAT DAY AN SMA Z, BASED AT A NEARBY AERO CLUB, ENTERED THE PATTERN AHEAD OF ME W/O CALLING ON 122.9. I SWITCHED TO 122L8 AND ASKED IF THAT ACFT WAS ON THE FREQ. IT WAS, AND I RECOGNIZED THE VOICE AS AN INSTR. IT SEEMS THAT STUDENT AND LOW TIME PLTS WILL FIND THE CORRECT FREQ (BECAUSE THEY DO NOT ASSUME ANYTHING), WHILE THE 'OLD HANDS' WILL KEEP USING THE OLD CTAF FOR SOME TIME. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT (WHEN A FREQ CHANGE SUCH AS THIS IS MADE), THE NEW FREQ BE PRINTED ON SECTIONAL CHARTS FOR AT LEAST 1 YR, RATHER THAN SIMPLY DELETING THE OLD CTAF. EVEN HWY ENGRS KNOW ENOUGH TO ERECT A WARNING SIGN TO MOTORISTS WHEN A TFC LIGHT OR OTHER CHANGE IS MADE TO AN EXISTING ROAD. I EXPECT THE FAA AND/OR NOAS TO BE AT LEAST AS SMART AS THE HWY FOLKS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.