Narrative:

I am based at vgt. When I want to make a local flight, I go to the practice area northwest of vgt. If it is crowded with a great deal of student activity, I go further northwest to an uncontrolled area west of indian springs, nv. I go at 6000 ft which is above the indian springs AFB air traffic area. I also monitor nellis range control on 119.35. On this day, about 4 NM west of indian springs, heading wnw at 6000 ft, I saw an A-10 to my 11 O'clock position. Knowing that they usually travel in pairs, I looked for a second A-10. I did spot a second and third A-10, but not the fourth (he was there later confirmed by nellis range control). I took evasive action by turning to my right (southeast) and descending. I was a little surprised that I did not hear nellis range control call me as traffic to the A-10's. Although nellis communicates on UHF to military aircraft, you can hear 1/2 the xmissions as the civilian VHF frequencys are keyed as well by the controllers. Concerned about the fourth A-10, and the possibility of additional low level military aircraft in the area, I attempted to establish a 2-WAY communication with nellis range control. Communications were very poor, and when I could hear him, he was calling a cessna with a different tail number, so I didn't think it was me. During this time, I was following highway 95, staying to the southwest going over the town of indian springs. Due to my evasive action and communication problems, I might have touched the top of the indian springs AFB air traffic area. Communications improved, and I received a discrete beacon code. The controller advised me to leave the area, as that area was 'sanitized' by NOTAM for a 5 NM radius around indian springs AFB. I never heard that terminology before and, checking with reno FSS, the only NOTAM they could find was 'increased activity military in alert area 481 all week.' in the future, I will always establish 2-WAY communication with range control in that area. Maybe communications could be improved in that area at lower altitudes. Military aircraft should be above 7000 ft southwest of indian springs near the mountains. I should have been more aware of my altitude after the evasive action and communication problems. Perhaps increased activity at indian springs AFB should be mentioned on vgt ATIS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW WING RETRACTABLE GEAR ACFT MAY HAVE ENTERED INS CLASS D AIRSPACE AVOIDING 4 A-10 MIL ACFT NW OF LAS.

Narrative: I AM BASED AT VGT. WHEN I WANT TO MAKE A LCL FLT, I GO TO THE PRACTICE AREA NW OF VGT. IF IT IS CROWDED WITH A GREAT DEAL OF STUDENT ACTIVITY, I GO FURTHER NW TO AN UNCTLED AREA W OF INDIAN SPRINGS, NV. I GO AT 6000 FT WHICH IS ABOVE THE INDIAN SPRINGS AFB ATA. I ALSO MONITOR NELLIS RANGE CTL ON 119.35. ON THIS DAY, ABOUT 4 NM W OF INDIAN SPRINGS, HDG WNW AT 6000 FT, I SAW AN A-10 TO MY 11 O'CLOCK POS. KNOWING THAT THEY USUALLY TRAVEL IN PAIRS, I LOOKED FOR A SECOND A-10. I DID SPOT A SECOND AND THIRD A-10, BUT NOT THE FOURTH (HE WAS THERE LATER CONFIRMED BY NELLIS RANGE CTL). I TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY TURNING TO MY R (SE) AND DSNDING. I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT I DID NOT HEAR NELLIS RANGE CTL CALL ME AS TFC TO THE A-10'S. ALTHOUGH NELLIS COMMUNICATES ON UHF TO MIL ACFT, YOU CAN HEAR 1/2 THE XMISSIONS AS THE CIVILIAN VHF FREQS ARE KEYED AS WELL BY THE CTLRS. CONCERNED ABOUT THE FOURTH A-10, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL LOW LEVEL MIL ACFT IN THE AREA, I ATTEMPTED TO ESTABLISH A 2-WAY COM WITH NELLIS RANGE CTL. COMS WERE VERY POOR, AND WHEN I COULD HEAR HIM, HE WAS CALLING A CESSNA WITH A DIFFERENT TAIL NUMBER, SO I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS ME. DURING THIS TIME, I WAS FOLLOWING HWY 95, STAYING TO THE SW GOING OVER THE TOWN OF INDIAN SPRINGS. DUE TO MY EVASIVE ACTION AND COM PROBS, I MIGHT HAVE TOUCHED THE TOP OF THE INDIAN SPRINGS AFB ATA. COMS IMPROVED, AND I RECEIVED A DISCRETE BEACON CODE. THE CTLR ADVISED ME TO LEAVE THE AREA, AS THAT AREA WAS 'SANITIZED' BY NOTAM FOR A 5 NM RADIUS AROUND INDIAN SPRINGS AFB. I NEVER HEARD THAT TERMINOLOGY BEFORE AND, CHKING WITH RENO FSS, THE ONLY NOTAM THEY COULD FIND WAS 'INCREASED ACTIVITY MIL IN ALERT AREA 481 ALL WK.' IN THE FUTURE, I WILL ALWAYS ESTABLISH 2-WAY COM WITH RANGE CTL IN THAT AREA. MAYBE COMS COULD BE IMPROVED IN THAT AREA AT LOWER ALTS. MIL ACFT SHOULD BE ABOVE 7000 FT SW OF INDIAN SPRINGS NEAR THE MOUNTAINS. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AWARE OF MY ALT AFTER THE EVASIVE ACTION AND COM PROBS. PERHAPS INCREASED ACTIVITY AT INDIAN SPRINGS AFB SHOULD BE MENTIONED ON VGT ATIS.

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.