Narrative:

Small airport; heavy operations and conflicting messages per company airport directory and actual fuel and departure time planning. Limited visibility a separate issue also was not helping the operation. First; let me say I don't claim to know the politics in the westchester county white plains hpn airport area; but that airport is not as safe as it should be. Why an airport that busy that early in the morning and does not have an operating control tower is beyond me. In my brief 5 minute taxi to the runway I saw two taxiing airplanes and one under tow head to head. And those are just the ones I saw under low visibility; as the CTAF was very busy. With a quarter mile visibility narrow single lane taxiways and inability to see I don't see how this is safe with people having to cross active runways to pass the one-way traffic. There is a 'voluntary restraint from flying' program that is in effect from midnight to 6:30 am local time. This program requests that no aircraft takeoff or land during this period. My company states they would like to adhere to this program. 'Pushback and taxi may take place. However; we would like to delay the takeoff until the voluntary curfew is lifted. The tower will have the official time as to when the curfew is over.' so I am suppose to sit on the ground for 35 minutes with both engines running waiting to takeoff and our departure is 35 minutes prior to or up to five sooner? Fine but does not seem like the policy is followed anywhere since I only had 225 pounds for a 15 minute taxi. And even if there was enough fuel to leave after the curfew is lifted there would have been no guarantee of leaving till later as there airport progressively gets busier that early in the morning and could have been 10th in line by then. I recommend a policy that we will sit and burn fuel with enough fuel to sit for that duration for departure. Personally I think if we are going to follow this policy departure should be no earlier than required to meet the curfew. Externally outside the company whether it be ATC; FAA; local; state; or federal entities this lack of control at this airport needs to be addressed before two airplanes occupy the same place at the same time and tombstone regulation is enacted here. Ban all operations and movements on the field till open (not desirable) or staff the tower around the clock or just earlier and/or later. I have no problem with uncontrolled but this airport with all the movements; limited space and high mix of general aviation; corporate and 121 operations needs more control. I know this airport; more than most is a political hot potato but something needs to be done.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Commuter Captain is frustrated by operations at Westchester Airport prior to the ATCT opening and the 'voluntary curfew.'

Narrative: Small airport; heavy operations and conflicting messages per company airport directory and actual fuel and departure time planning. Limited visibility a separate issue also was not helping the operation. First; let me say I don't claim to know the politics in the Westchester County White Plains HPN airport area; but that airport is not as safe as it should be. Why an airport that busy that early in the morning and does not have an operating control tower is beyond me. In my brief 5 minute taxi to the runway I saw two taxiing airplanes and one under tow head to head. And those are just the ones I saw under low visibility; as the CTAF was very busy. With a quarter mile visibility narrow single lane taxiways and inability to see I don't see how this is safe with people having to cross active runways to pass the one-way traffic. There is a 'voluntary restraint from flying' program that is in effect from midnight to 6:30 AM local time. This program requests that no aircraft takeoff or land during this period. My company states they would like to adhere to this program. 'Pushback and taxi may take place. However; we would like to delay the takeoff until the voluntary curfew is lifted. The tower will have the official time as to when the curfew is over.' So I am suppose to sit on the ground for 35 minutes with both engines running waiting to takeoff and our departure is 35 minutes prior to or up to five sooner? Fine but does not seem like the policy is followed anywhere since I only had 225 LBS for a 15 minute taxi. And even if there was enough fuel to leave after the curfew is lifted there would have been no guarantee of leaving till later as there airport progressively gets busier that early in the morning and could have been 10th in line by then. I recommend a policy that we will sit and burn fuel with enough fuel to sit for that duration for departure. Personally I think if we are going to follow this policy departure should be no earlier than required to meet the curfew. Externally outside the company whether it be ATC; FAA; local; state; or federal entities this lack of control at this airport needs to be addressed before two airplanes occupy the same place at the same time and tombstone regulation is enacted here. Ban all operations and movements on the field till open (not desirable) or staff the tower around the clock or just earlier and/or later. I have no problem with uncontrolled but this airport with all the movements; limited space and high mix of general aviation; corporate and 121 operations needs more control. I know this airport; more than most is a political hot potato but something needs to be done.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.