Narrative:

I fly out of mather airport on a regular basis, but recently I departed from there on an IFR flight plan. I found the NOTAM class D, current AFD, current commercial chart, and current sectional charts to lead to confusion as to what airspace the airport actually is, what runways were open for certain times, and if the control tower was actually an advisory service or not, I had planned on departing VFR in class G airspace with 1 1/4 mi visibility, but it appeared that this may not be consistent with safety, even though the tower was calling the airport VFR. This in itself was puzzling, since if the tower was actually in operation, and regulatory in nature, shouldn't the airspace be class D? As a result of this confusion, I elected to depart on an IFR clearance. Local charts depict the airspace as class G, and runway 22R/4L as closed, yet NOTAMS mention the tower is open, and so is runway 22R/4L. What then constitutes class D airspace? Something should be done to, clarify the 'mather mess.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter concerned with exact airspace allocation and company requirements, deferring to company procedures to utilize IFR departure procedures. Reporter had not asked chief pilot to assist in clarifications through company poi. An FAA representative advised that mhr class D regulatory action was proceeding through rule making and mhr was expected to be notified in march, 2001, of its airspace classification change from class G/east to class D. Local NOTAMS have been issued, but the domestic/international notice to airman publication notifying mhr airspace allocation and airport NOTAMS, had inadvertently been missed. Corrections are expected at the next publication cycle.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C208 ATX PLT CONCERNED WITH MHR ARPT AIRSPACE CLASSIFICATION AND PLT RESPONSIBILITIES.

Narrative: I FLY OUT OF MATHER ARPT ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT RECENTLY I DEPARTED FROM THERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. I FOUND THE NOTAM CLASS D, CURRENT AFD, CURRENT COMMERCIAL CHART, AND CURRENT SECTIONAL CHARTS TO LEAD TO CONFUSION AS TO WHAT AIRSPACE THE ARPT ACTUALLY IS, WHAT RWYS WERE OPEN FOR CERTAIN TIMES, AND IF THE CTL TWR WAS ACTUALLY AN ADVISORY SVC OR NOT, I HAD PLANNED ON DEPARTING VFR IN CLASS G AIRSPACE WITH 1 1/4 MI VIS, BUT IT APPEARED THAT THIS MAY NOT BE CONSISTENT WITH SAFETY, EVEN THOUGH THE TWR WAS CALLING THE ARPT VFR. THIS IN ITSELF WAS PUZZLING, SINCE IF THE TWR WAS ACTUALLY IN OP, AND REGULATORY IN NATURE, SHOULDN'T THE AIRSPACE BE CLASS D? AS A RESULT OF THIS CONFUSION, I ELECTED TO DEPART ON AN IFR CLRNC. LCL CHARTS DEPICT THE AIRSPACE AS CLASS G, AND RWY 22R/4L AS CLOSED, YET NOTAMS MENTION THE TWR IS OPEN, AND SO IS RWY 22R/4L. WHAT THEN CONSTITUTES CLASS D AIRSPACE? SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO, CLARIFY THE 'MATHER MESS.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR CONCERNED WITH EXACT AIRSPACE ALLOCATION AND COMPANY REQUIREMENTS, DEFERRING TO COMPANY PROCS TO UTILIZE IFR DEP PROCS. RPTR HAD NOT ASKED CHIEF PLT TO ASSIST IN CLARIFICATIONS THROUGH COMPANY POI. AN FAA REPRESENTATIVE ADVISED THAT MHR CLASS D REGULATORY ACTION WAS PROCEEDING THROUGH RULE MAKING AND MHR WAS EXPECTED TO BE NOTIFIED IN MARCH, 2001, OF ITS AIRSPACE CLASSIFICATION CHANGE FROM CLASS G/E TO CLASS D. LCL NOTAMS HAVE BEEN ISSUED, BUT THE DOMESTIC/INTL NOTICE TO AIRMAN PUB NOTIFYING MHR AIRSPACE ALLOCATION AND ARPT NOTAMS, HAD INADVERTENTLY BEEN MISSED. CORRECTIONS ARE EXPECTED AT THE NEXT PUB CYCLE.

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.