Narrative:

On apr/xx/97, at approximately XA30 am I was leaving the redmond, or, airport to fly east. I attempted to call the tower multiple times with no response. Evidently the tower is new and they just started having a tower frequency. My charts did not have the new frequency. After observing for approximately 5 mins, doing a 360 degree ground turn, I took off. I switched to the company frequency to say good-bye and the controller then got a hold of me very irate that I didn't get clearance. I tried multiple times to reach the tower and I assumed the tower wasn't open as yet. There were no other aircraft in the area and as I assumed the tower was closed, I observed all the safety precautions done at an uncontrolled airport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states there has been no further action regarding this incident. He had used the pilot group directory to check frequencys and since this was a new tower it was not published in that directory. He also had used his IFR computer chip to check current information and the tower frequency was not on that either. The chip was due to expire a few days later. When receiving no response he used standard non tower procedures, giving position reports and intentions as he progressed on the airport. After the fact he learned he had been given a wrong frequency for the tower and receiving no response presumed it was closed at the early hour. He has learned that the old timers at the airport are pretty annoyed at having a tower and apparently give the controller a bad time. This is probably why the controller was so irate when reporter did not make contact.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LANCAIR PLT UNABLE TO CONTACT TWR USES NORMAL NON TWR PROCS AND DEPARTS. HE IS LATER CONTACTED BY TWR WHO IS RATHER IRATE AT RPTR'S PROCS OF DEP WITH NO CLRNC.

Narrative: ON APR/XX/97, AT APPROX XA30 AM I WAS LEAVING THE REDMOND, OR, ARPT TO FLY E. I ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE TWR MULTIPLE TIMES WITH NO RESPONSE. EVIDENTLY THE TWR IS NEW AND THEY JUST STARTED HAVING A TWR FREQ. MY CHARTS DID NOT HAVE THE NEW FREQ. AFTER OBSERVING FOR APPROX 5 MINS, DOING A 360 DEG GND TURN, I TOOK OFF. I SWITCHED TO THE COMPANY FREQ TO SAY GOOD-BYE AND THE CTLR THEN GOT A HOLD OF ME VERY IRATE THAT I DIDN'T GET CLRNC. I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO REACH THE TWR AND I ASSUMED THE TWR WASN'T OPEN AS YET. THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA AND AS I ASSUMED THE TWR WAS CLOSED, I OBSERVED ALL THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS DONE AT AN UNCTLED ARPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THERE HAS BEEN NO FURTHER ACTION REGARDING THIS INCIDENT. HE HAD USED THE PLT GROUP DIRECTORY TO CHK FREQS AND SINCE THIS WAS A NEW TWR IT WAS NOT PUBLISHED IN THAT DIRECTORY. HE ALSO HAD USED HIS IFR COMPUTER CHIP TO CHK CURRENT INFO AND THE TWR FREQ WAS NOT ON THAT EITHER. THE CHIP WAS DUE TO EXPIRE A FEW DAYS LATER. WHEN RECEIVING NO RESPONSE HE USED STANDARD NON TWR PROCS, GIVING POS RPTS AND INTENTIONS AS HE PROGRESSED ON THE ARPT. AFTER THE FACT HE LEARNED HE HAD BEEN GIVEN A WRONG FREQ FOR THE TWR AND RECEIVING NO RESPONSE PRESUMED IT WAS CLOSED AT THE EARLY HR. HE HAS LEARNED THAT THE OLD TIMERS AT THE ARPT ARE PRETTY ANNOYED AT HAVING A TWR AND APPARENTLY GIVE THE CTLR A BAD TIME. THIS IS PROBABLY WHY THE CTLR WAS SO IRATE WHEN RPTR DID NOT MAKE CONTACT.

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.