Narrative:

While familiarizing a fellow pilot and builder of a glasair (experimental type aircraft) with the flight and handling characteristics of the aircraft, I decided to use athens, GA due to the length and conditions of the runways to make takeoffs and lndgs. I have been flying in the atlanta, GA area for 16 plus yrs and am quite familiar with local landmarks, CTAF frequencys, along with other operation criteria of the local airports. Thus when I am flying in the local area, I seldom find the need to reference a navigational chart. Approaching the athens area, I attempted to make contact with unicom on frequency 123.00 as this has been the frequency for many yrs. Unable to make contact with unicom, I over flew the airport just above pattern altitude to observe the wind sock. With the winds being almost calm, I decided that runway 09 would be the best selection and proceeded to set up for a downwind for that runway. On final approach to runway 09, I noticed an aircraft (C-152) departing on runway 27. I immediately turned to enter a downwind for runway 27. At no time was my aircraft in any danger of making contact with the other. After 3 landing approachs to runway 27, I received a transmission on frequency 123.0, which I had been monitoring, from an unknown source advising me to contact the tower. I chose to avoid further conflict and left the area without acknowledging the transmission. Until this time, I had been totally unaware that athens had an operating control tower. Normally, when I am preparing for a cross country trip, I review approach charts, area maps, and pilot's group publication to gain as much information about the airport area environment as possible. However, when flying locally, a review of local airport information very rarely presents new information. Major changes, such as new runways or the addition of control towers, seldom take place without a lot of fanfare. After reviewing the events that occurred, I determined that it is still not necessary to review every local airport I intend to fly to. I do feel that more information should have been distributed by local FAA auths to advise local pilots of this change. Having major changes posted at local airport bulletin boards and mailing flyers to pilots on the local mailing list is a good way to inform local pilots of big changes. Several times I have received information on subjects such as tethered WX balloons in miami. I consider things like opening a control tower just as important.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF CLASS D AIRSPACE LNDG TKOFS IN EXPERIMENTAL ACFT. TRAINING IN PROGRESS.

Narrative: WHILE FAMILIARIZING A FELLOW PLT AND BUILDER OF A GLASAIR (EXPERIMENTAL TYPE ACFT) WITH THE FLT AND HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ACFT, I DECIDED TO USE ATHENS, GA DUE TO THE LENGTH AND CONDITIONS OF THE RWYS TO MAKE TKOFS AND LNDGS. I HAVE BEEN FLYING IN THE ATLANTA, GA AREA FOR 16 PLUS YRS AND AM QUITE FAMILIAR WITH LCL LANDMARKS, CTAF FREQS, ALONG WITH OTHER OP CRITERIA OF THE LCL ARPTS. THUS WHEN I AM FLYING IN THE LCL AREA, I SELDOM FIND THE NEED TO REF A NAVIGATIONAL CHART. APCHING THE ATHENS AREA, I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH UNICOM ON FREQ 123.00 AS THIS HAS BEEN THE FREQ FOR MANY YRS. UNABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH UNICOM, I OVER FLEW THE ARPT JUST ABOVE PATTERN ALT TO OBSERVE THE WIND SOCK. WITH THE WINDS BEING ALMOST CALM, I DECIDED THAT RWY 09 WOULD BE THE BEST SELECTION AND PROCEEDED TO SET UP FOR A DOWNWIND FOR THAT RWY. ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 09, I NOTICED AN ACFT (C-152) DEPARTING ON RWY 27. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO ENTER A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 27. AT NO TIME WAS MY ACFT IN ANY DANGER OF MAKING CONTACT WITH THE OTHER. AFTER 3 LNDG APCHS TO RWY 27, I RECEIVED A XMISSION ON FREQ 123.0, WHICH I HAD BEEN MONITORING, FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE ADVISING ME TO CONTACT THE TWR. I CHOSE TO AVOID FURTHER CONFLICT AND LEFT THE AREA WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING THE XMISSION. UNTIL THIS TIME, I HAD BEEN TOTALLY UNAWARE THAT ATHENS HAD AN OPERATING CTL TWR. NORMALLY, WHEN I AM PREPARING FOR A XCOUNTRY TRIP, I REVIEW APCH CHARTS, AREA MAPS, AND PLT'S GROUP PUB TO GAIN AS MUCH INFO ABOUT THE ARPT AREA ENVIRONMENT AS POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, WHEN FLYING LOCALLY, A REVIEW OF LCL ARPT INFO VERY RARELY PRESENTS NEW INFO. MAJOR CHANGES, SUCH AS NEW RWYS OR THE ADDITION OF CTL TWRS, SELDOM TAKE PLACE WITHOUT A LOT OF FANFARE. AFTER REVIEWING THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED, I DETERMINED THAT IT IS STILL NOT NECESSARY TO REVIEW EVERY LCL ARPT I INTEND TO FLY TO. I DO FEEL THAT MORE INFO SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED BY LCL FAA AUTHS TO ADVISE LCL PLTS OF THIS CHANGE. HAVING MAJOR CHANGES POSTED AT LCL ARPT BULLETIN BOARDS AND MAILING FLYERS TO PLTS ON THE LCL MAILING LIST IS A GOOD WAY TO INFORM LCL PLTS OF BIG CHANGES. SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE RECEIVED INFO ON SUBJECTS SUCH AS TETHERED WX BALLOONS IN MIAMI. I CONSIDER THINGS LIKE OPENING A CTL TWR JUST AS IMPORTANT.

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.