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Pilot report of problem with unicom frequency at non tower airport. When unicom keyed the airport beacon activates. This gives a false indication of IFR conditions when VFR prevails.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 385299 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199711 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : osm airport : i75 |
| State Reference | IA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 1120 agl bound upper : 1120 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 31 flight time total : 19894 |
| ASRS Report | 385299 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Airport |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| Airport | other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
The unicom at osceola municipal airport never answers 122.8. When you call or key your microphone on 122.8 the rotate beacon comes on in VFR conditions, which would indicate IFR conditions -- and in about 10 mins it goes out, resulting in conflicting calls to ATC about IFR field status in VFR. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he has spoken with airport management and airport commission people and nobody seems to do anything about it. It is very confusing when the beacon goes on and ATC tells you to go ahead and make a VFR approach. Reporter has used the hot line as well as reporting to ASRS in hope that something will be done.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT RPT OF PROB WITH UNICOM FREQ AT NON TWR ARPT. WHEN UNICOM KEYED THE ARPT BEACON ACTIVATES. THIS GIVES A FALSE INDICATION OF IFR CONDITIONS WHEN VFR PREVAILS.
Narrative: THE UNICOM AT OSCEOLA MUNICIPAL ARPT NEVER ANSWERS 122.8. WHEN YOU CALL OR KEY YOUR MIKE ON 122.8 THE ROTATE BEACON COMES ON IN VFR CONDITIONS, WHICH WOULD INDICATE IFR CONDITIONS -- AND IN ABOUT 10 MINS IT GOES OUT, RESULTING IN CONFLICTING CALLS TO ATC ABOUT IFR FIELD STATUS IN VFR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE HAS SPOKEN WITH ARPT MGMNT AND ARPT COMMISSION PEOPLE AND NOBODY SEEMS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IT IS VERY CONFUSING WHEN THE BEACON GOES ON AND ATC TELLS YOU TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE A VFR APCH. RPTR HAS USED THE HOT LINE AS WELL AS RPTING TO ASRS IN HOPE THAT SOMETHING WILL BE DONE.
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.