Narrative:

I have a county hangar at airport. My wife and I drove to the airport and through 2 chkpoints to get to our airplane; in its hangar; for a flight to willows; ca; at approximately XA00 on jun/xa/06. We noticed additional traffic and inquired at the 2 chkpoints we passed if there were special procedures in place -- they didn't know. We taxied the plane; saw the ramp radio banner; frequency 133.05; tuned in; and told them our intentions. They approved. We asked if they were using special procedures or pattern. Their reply was equivocal. We listened to the ASOS; 118.47; got in line with the other departure traffic; called our intentions on 123.05 and departed. We returned calling intentions at 10 mi; 7 mi; 2 mi; and short final. We adjusted for traffic; landed; cleared the runway on 123.05; and tuned into 133.05 'ramp radio' for taxi instructions. He approved us to our hangar. At the hangar a man from the FAA informed us there was a temporary tower in operation and that we were supposed to talk to it. I apologized and explained that this seemed to be a well-kept secret; since the procedures; frequencys; and duration were not known to people running chkpoints; people on the radio (ramp radio 133.05); there was no indication on WX (118.47) briefing; no banner on the tower; and no frequencys or procedures were posted. He told me to read the NOTAM (the only NOTAM posted was at FBO -- an absolute crowded madhouse). Even after the FAA guy bawled me out and walked away; I still didn't know the tower frequency and I thought 'ramp radio' was cutsie talk for ground control. All the NOTAM said was 'local tower in operation' -- no procedures; but with frequencys for tower and ground control. I flew in and out of myv when it was tower-controled without contacting the tower. I should have looked up the NOTAM and gotten better information -- MEA culpa. For all temperature tower-controled events I recommend: 1) a large banner on the tower with frequencys. 2) local pilots renting hangars have a notice of pending temporary control towers included in their monthly hangar rent bill. 3) all volunteers and employees manning chkpoints be briefed in special airspace procedures and post frequencys at these chkpoints. 4) a recorded notice about special airspace procedures with frequencys be appended to the local WX (ASOS; AWOS) briefing frequency recording. 5) all posters advertising the event note temporary control tower and frequencys. 6) all radio operators on the ground be familiar with the frequencys and procedures; and someone should monitor the CTAF and unicom. FAA personnel should provide violators with information (frequencys and procedures) to help avoid a similar problem in future. 8) post NOTAM at locations around the airport (hangar door? On porta potties?)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LCL PA22 PLT LWOC WHEN A TEMPORARY TWR IS IN EFFECT DURING A SPECIAL EVENT.

Narrative: I HAVE A COUNTY HANGAR AT ARPT. MY WIFE AND I DROVE TO THE ARPT AND THROUGH 2 CHKPOINTS TO GET TO OUR AIRPLANE; IN ITS HANGAR; FOR A FLT TO WILLOWS; CA; AT APPROX XA00 ON JUN/XA/06. WE NOTICED ADDITIONAL TFC AND INQUIRED AT THE 2 CHKPOINTS WE PASSED IF THERE WERE SPECIAL PROCS IN PLACE -- THEY DIDN'T KNOW. WE TAXIED THE PLANE; SAW THE RAMP RADIO BANNER; FREQ 133.05; TUNED IN; AND TOLD THEM OUR INTENTIONS. THEY APPROVED. WE ASKED IF THEY WERE USING SPECIAL PROCS OR PATTERN. THEIR REPLY WAS EQUIVOCAL. WE LISTENED TO THE ASOS; 118.47; GOT IN LINE WITH THE OTHER DEP TFC; CALLED OUR INTENTIONS ON 123.05 AND DEPARTED. WE RETURNED CALLING INTENTIONS AT 10 MI; 7 MI; 2 MI; AND SHORT FINAL. WE ADJUSTED FOR TFC; LANDED; CLRED THE RWY ON 123.05; AND TUNED INTO 133.05 'RAMP RADIO' FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. HE APPROVED US TO OUR HANGAR. AT THE HANGAR A MAN FROM THE FAA INFORMED US THERE WAS A TEMPORARY TWR IN OP AND THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO TALK TO IT. I APOLOGIZED AND EXPLAINED THAT THIS SEEMED TO BE A WELL-KEPT SECRET; SINCE THE PROCS; FREQS; AND DURATION WERE NOT KNOWN TO PEOPLE RUNNING CHKPOINTS; PEOPLE ON THE RADIO (RAMP RADIO 133.05); THERE WAS NO INDICATION ON WX (118.47) BRIEFING; NO BANNER ON THE TWR; AND NO FREQS OR PROCS WERE POSTED. HE TOLD ME TO READ THE NOTAM (THE ONLY NOTAM POSTED WAS AT FBO -- AN ABSOLUTE CROWDED MADHOUSE). EVEN AFTER THE FAA GUY BAWLED ME OUT AND WALKED AWAY; I STILL DIDN'T KNOW THE TWR FREQ AND I THOUGHT 'RAMP RADIO' WAS CUTSIE TALK FOR GND CTL. ALL THE NOTAM SAID WAS 'LCL TWR IN OP' -- NO PROCS; BUT WITH FREQS FOR TWR AND GND CTL. I FLEW IN AND OUT OF MYV WHEN IT WAS TWR-CTLED WITHOUT CONTACTING THE TWR. I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED UP THE NOTAM AND GOTTEN BETTER INFO -- MEA CULPA. FOR ALL TEMP TWR-CTLED EVENTS I RECOMMEND: 1) A LARGE BANNER ON THE TWR WITH FREQS. 2) LCL PLTS RENTING HANGARS HAVE A NOTICE OF PENDING TEMPORARY CTL TWRS INCLUDED IN THEIR MONTHLY HANGAR RENT BILL. 3) ALL VOLUNTEERS AND EMPLOYEES MANNING CHKPOINTS BE BRIEFED IN SPECIAL AIRSPACE PROCS AND POST FREQS AT THESE CHKPOINTS. 4) A RECORDED NOTICE ABOUT SPECIAL AIRSPACE PROCS WITH FREQS BE APPENDED TO THE LCL WX (ASOS; AWOS) BRIEFING FREQ RECORDING. 5) ALL POSTERS ADVERTISING THE EVENT NOTE TEMPORARY CTL TWR AND FREQS. 6) ALL RADIO OPERATORS ON THE GND BE FAMILIAR WITH THE FREQS AND PROCS; AND SOMEONE SHOULD MONITOR THE CTAF AND UNICOM. FAA PERSONNEL SHOULD PROVIDE VIOLATORS WITH INFO (FREQS AND PROCS) TO HELP AVOID A SIMILAR PROB IN FUTURE. 8) POST NOTAM AT LOCATIONS AROUND THE ARPT (HANGAR DOOR? ON PORTA POTTIES?)

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.