Narrative:

Reporter receiving PIC check in tailwheel aircraft from CFI. Crew departed aao airport for 1k1 airport for several takeoffs/lndgs. CFI stated he was familiar with operations at 1k1 airport (small GA airpark) and had recently conducted takeoffs and lndgs there. Unaware that airport did indeed have a unicom service, CFI did not tune appropriate TA frequency. Reporter tuned 122.9 KHZ for TA's. CFI instructed reporter to operate in l-hand traffic for runway 16 -- no observable airport markings disagreed with this statement. Following flight, 1k1 airport manager telephoned FBO owner to complain that this aircraft was to have utilized unicom frequency 123.0, and right traffic for runway 16. CFI called airport manager to apologize. Lesson learned: irrespective of a CFI's current experience or statements regarding same, it is crucial that a pilot (student, copilot, or otherwise) unfamiliar with a particular operation check all details for himself (AFD, in this situation) prior to commencing such an operation. Although other traffic was observed in the airport vicinity also performing nonstandard pattern operations, and no collision hazard existed in this instance, compliance with approved traffic pattern procedures certainly minimize the risk of midair collision. Reporter will be more cautious before operating to an unfamiliar airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SMALL SINGLE ENG ACFT DEPARTED AAO FOR 1K1 FOR TKOF AND LNDG PRACTICE WITH AN INSTRUCTOR. PLT AND INSTRUCTOR WERE NOT AWARE OF AND DID NOT UTILIZE THE AVAILABILITY OF UNICOM NOR DID HE OBSERVE THE PROPER TFC PATTERN FOR THE RWY IN USE.

Narrative: RPTR RECEIVING PIC CHK IN TAILWHEEL ACFT FROM CFI. CREW DEPARTED AAO ARPT FOR 1K1 ARPT FOR SEVERAL TKOFS/LNDGS. CFI STATED HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH OPS AT 1K1 ARPT (SMALL GA AIRPARK) AND HAD RECENTLY CONDUCTED TKOFS AND LNDGS THERE. UNAWARE THAT ARPT DID INDEED HAVE A UNICOM SVC, CFI DID NOT TUNE APPROPRIATE TA FREQ. RPTR TUNED 122.9 KHZ FOR TA'S. CFI INSTRUCTED RPTR TO OPERATE IN L-HAND TFC FOR RWY 16 -- NO OBSERVABLE ARPT MARKINGS DISAGREED WITH THIS STATEMENT. FOLLOWING FLT, 1K1 ARPT MGR TELEPHONED FBO OWNER TO COMPLAIN THAT THIS ACFT WAS TO HAVE UTILIZED UNICOM FREQ 123.0, AND R TFC FOR RWY 16. CFI CALLED ARPT MGR TO APOLOGIZE. LESSON LEARNED: IRRESPECTIVE OF A CFI'S CURRENT EXPERIENCE OR STATEMENTS REGARDING SAME, IT IS CRUCIAL THAT A PLT (STUDENT, COPLT, OR OTHERWISE) UNFAMILIAR WITH A PARTICULAR OP CHK ALL DETAILS FOR HIMSELF (AFD, IN THIS SIT) PRIOR TO COMMENCING SUCH AN OP. ALTHOUGH OTHER TFC WAS OBSERVED IN THE ARPT VICINITY ALSO PERFORMING NONSTANDARD PATTERN OPS, AND NO COLLISION HAZARD EXISTED IN THIS INSTANCE, COMPLIANCE WITH APPROVED TFC PATTERN PROCS CERTAINLY MINIMIZE THE RISK OF MIDAIR COLLISION. RPTR WILL BE MORE CAUTIOUS BEFORE OPERATING TO AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT.

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.