Temporary tower with no class D airspace.

Attributes
ACN	266118
Time
Date	199403
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : big
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : big
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : military
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 124 flight time total : 4420 flight time type : 1045
ASRS Report	266118
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I submit this to report an unusual occurrence I haven't seen before. I was flying as part of a military exercise that was using a landing zone approximately 10 mi south of allen army airfield. One of the NOTAMS for today's mission was that allen field had established a temporary ATC tower but the airspace around the field was still class east, not class D. Communications with the tower were not required according to our mission briefer. My plan was to monitor allen's tower frequency for TA's but not contact them directly since we would not be transiting close enough to interfere with the traffic pattern. The closest we got to allen was 4 NM. At that time, allen tower called us asking for us to identify ourselves and state our intentions. Allen responded with a 'roger.' I then confirmed with them that the airspace was class east, and not class D. They confirmed this but did not clarify as to how a tower could exist to control class east airspace. Although there was no traffic in the allen field area at the time and allen tower did not seen concerned that we were operating in their vicinity without contacting them, I thought the event unusual enough to take the precaution of filing this report. I guess what's confusing is trying to figure out what's required when operating north class east airspace even though a tower is operating.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TEMPORARY TWR WITH NO CLASS D AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I SUBMIT THIS TO RPT AN UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE I HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE. I WAS FLYING AS PART OF A MIL EXERCISE THAT WAS USING A LNDG ZONE APPROX 10 MI S OF ALLEN ARMY AIRFIELD. ONE OF THE NOTAMS FOR TODAY'S MISSION WAS THAT ALLEN FIELD HAD ESTABLISHED A TEMPORARY ATC TWR BUT THE AIRSPACE AROUND THE FIELD WAS STILL CLASS E, NOT CLASS D. COMS WITH THE TWR WERE NOT REQUIRED ACCORDING TO OUR MISSION BRIEFER. MY PLAN WAS TO MONITOR ALLEN'S TWR FREQ FOR TA'S BUT NOT CONTACT THEM DIRECTLY SINCE WE WOULD NOT BE TRANSITING CLOSE ENOUGH TO INTERFERE WITH THE TFC PATTERN. THE CLOSEST WE GOT TO ALLEN WAS 4 NM. AT THAT TIME, ALLEN TWR CALLED US ASKING FOR US TO IDENT OURSELVES AND STATE OUR INTENTIONS. ALLEN RESPONDED WITH A 'ROGER.' I THEN CONFIRMED WITH THEM THAT THE AIRSPACE WAS CLASS E, AND NOT CLASS D. THEY CONFIRMED THIS BUT DID NOT CLARIFY AS TO HOW A TWR COULD EXIST TO CTL CLASS E AIRSPACE. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO TFC IN THE ALLEN FIELD AREA AT THE TIME AND ALLEN TWR DID NOT SEEN CONCERNED THAT WE WERE OPERATING IN THEIR VICINITY WITHOUT CONTACTING THEM, I THOUGHT THE EVENT UNUSUAL ENOUGH TO TAKE THE PRECAUTION OF FILING THIS RPT. I GUESS WHAT'S CONFUSING IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S REQUIRED WHEN OPERATING N CLASS E AIRSPACE EVEN THOUGH A TWR IS OPERATING.

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.