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Attributes | |
ACN | 1766139 |
Time | |
Date | 202010 |
Local Time Of Day | 1801-2400 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | N85.Airport |
State Reference | NJ |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | VMC |
Light | Night |
Aircraft 1 | |
Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
Flight Phase | Descent |
Person 1 | |
Function | Pilot Flying Single Pilot |
Qualification | Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine |
Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150 Flight Crew Total 1600 Flight Crew Type 60 |
Events | |
Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy |
Narrative:
I often fly late-day or evening; and routinely use the associated pilot-controlled airport lighting both to fix my position and for terminal guidance. Sky manor has MIRL but does not have an airport beacon; so I often also turn on the lighting for alexandria (N85); located approximately 2NM northwest; which has both MIRL and a rotating beacon. The frequency for this at sky manor is 122.975 (which doubles as the CTAF frequency); at alexandria; 121.8 (with 122.975 as CTAF).on at least two separate occasions; coming from more than one direction; I have turned the airport lighting on for alexandria and ended up momentarily distracting pilots and/or ATC by doing so. Alexandria is not very far away from newark liberty (ewr); or lancaster (lns); both of which use 121.8 as a ground control frequency and are apparently well within radio range and altitudes at and below 2000 ft MSL. Further research indicates that mcguire (wri) may also be affected; as it's a similar distance as newark.while I don't want to keep distracting others in the ATC system - and I've resolved the issue for myself by increasing familiarity with the airspace; which has reduced the necessity of me using the alexandria airport beacon for guidance - I also realize that this has the capability to reduce my situational awareness; and at any event; aircraft intending to land at alexandria at night must necessarily turn the airport lighting on; potentially distracting operations at the airports previously listed.I propose that the lighting frequency at alexandria be changed; either to CTAF or to some other discrete frequency; with the intention of minimizing possible adverse operational implications for local controlled airports.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Flight instructor reports identical frequencies are used at several airports in close proximity.
Narrative: I often fly late-day or evening; and routinely use the associated pilot-controlled airport lighting both to fix my position and for terminal guidance. Sky Manor has MIRL but does not have an airport beacon; so I often also turn on the lighting for Alexandria (N85); located approximately 2NM northwest; which has both MIRL and a rotating beacon. The frequency for this at Sky Manor is 122.975 (which doubles as the CTAF frequency); at Alexandria; 121.8 (with 122.975 as CTAF).On at least two separate occasions; coming from more than one direction; I have turned the airport lighting on for Alexandria and ended up momentarily distracting pilots and/or ATC by doing so. Alexandria is not very far away from Newark Liberty (EWR); or Lancaster (LNS); both of which use 121.8 as a Ground Control frequency and are apparently well within radio range and altitudes at and below 2000 ft MSL. Further research indicates that McGuire (WRI) may also be affected; as it's a similar distance as Newark.While I don't want to keep distracting others in the ATC system - and I've resolved the issue for myself by increasing familiarity with the airspace; which has reduced the necessity of me using the Alexandria airport beacon for guidance - I also realize that this has the capability to reduce my situational awareness; and at any event; aircraft intending to land at Alexandria at night must necessarily turn the airport lighting on; potentially distracting operations at the airports previously listed.I propose that the lighting frequency at Alexandria be changed; either to CTAF or to some other discrete frequency; with the intention of minimizing possible adverse operational implications for local controlled airports.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.