Narrative:

Islip (isp), ny, class C airspace. The airport/facilities directory lists effective hours for the part time operation of the tower, and effective hours for the part time class C services. These hours are the same. The airport/facilities directory does not state what class airspace is in effect in the following 2 sits: 1) during the time of normal tower operation and class C services are suspended (for reasons of communication or radar problems). 2) during the time when islip tower is not operating and class C services are not provided. The january 6, 1994 aim, paragraph 3-13f note 4 implies that class C airspace is in effect at all times: 'some facilities provide class C services only during published hours. At other times, terminal IFR radar service will be provided. It is important to note that the communications requirements for entry into the airspace and transponder mode C requirements are in effect at all times.' the aim statement and the lack of information in the airport facilities directory lead to confusion. Functionally (if not legally) class C airspace at islip becomes class D airspace during situation 1) and class east airspace during situation 2). There seems to be an agreement between approach control and islip tower but it is not published. Entry procedures would be clear if the airport facilities directory stated the following: when class C services are suspended and the tower is operating, class C airspace becomes class D airspace. When class C services are not provided and the tower is not operating, class C airspace becomes class east airspace. The airport facilities directory and aim should address these issues clearly so that pilots can know what the rules are. Keep in mind, clarity was the purpose of the airspace reclassification. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: N90 procedures specialist stated that the airspace goes away when the tower is closed and they treat the airspace as class east airspace. Pps said the aim was unclr.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY AND AIM ARE CONFUSING AS TO ISP CLASS C AIRSPACE AND COM REQUIREMENTS.

Narrative: ISLIP (ISP), NY, CLASS C AIRSPACE. THE ARPT/FACILITIES DIRECTORY LISTS EFFECTIVE HRS FOR THE PART TIME OP OF THE TWR, AND EFFECTIVE HRS FOR THE PART TIME CLASS C SVCS. THESE HRS ARE THE SAME. THE ARPT/FACILITIES DIRECTORY DOES NOT STATE WHAT CLASS AIRSPACE IS IN EFFECT IN THE FOLLOWING 2 SITS: 1) DURING THE TIME OF NORMAL TWR OP AND CLASS C SVCS ARE SUSPENDED (FOR REASONS OF COM OR RADAR PROBS). 2) DURING THE TIME WHEN ISLIP TWR IS NOT OPERATING AND CLASS C SVCS ARE NOT PROVIDED. THE JANUARY 6, 1994 AIM, PARAGRAPH 3-13F NOTE 4 IMPLIES THAT CLASS C AIRSPACE IS IN EFFECT AT ALL TIMES: 'SOME FACILITIES PROVIDE CLASS C SVCS ONLY DURING PUBLISHED HRS. AT OTHER TIMES, TERMINAL IFR RADAR SVC WILL BE PROVIDED. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE COMS REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRY INTO THE AIRSPACE AND XPONDER MODE C REQUIREMENTS ARE IN EFFECT AT ALL TIMES.' THE AIM STATEMENT AND THE LACK OF INFO IN THE ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY LEAD TO CONFUSION. FUNCTIONALLY (IF NOT LEGALLY) CLASS C AIRSPACE AT ISLIP BECOMES CLASS D AIRSPACE DURING SIT 1) AND CLASS E AIRSPACE DURING SIT 2). THERE SEEMS TO BE AN AGREEMENT BTWN APCH CTL AND ISLIP TWR BUT IT IS NOT PUBLISHED. ENTRY PROCS WOULD BE CLR IF THE ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY STATED THE FOLLOWING: WHEN CLASS C SVCS ARE SUSPENDED AND THE TWR IS OPERATING, CLASS C AIRSPACE BECOMES CLASS D AIRSPACE. WHEN CLASS C SVCS ARE NOT PROVIDED AND THE TWR IS NOT OPERATING, CLASS C AIRSPACE BECOMES CLASS E AIRSPACE. THE ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY AND AIM SHOULD ADDRESS THESE ISSUES CLRLY SO THAT PLTS CAN KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE. KEEP IN MIND, CLARITY WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE AIRSPACE RECLASSIFICATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: N90 PROCS SPECIALIST STATED THAT THE AIRSPACE GOES AWAY WHEN THE TWR IS CLOSED AND THEY TREAT THE AIRSPACE AS CLASS E AIRSPACE. PPS SAID THE AIM WAS UNCLR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.