Operations at Non-Towered Airports

BruceAir

BruceAir

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BruceAir
From AOPA and the AOPA Air Safety Foundation:

"To help pilots safely get in and out of the nation's more than 13,000 nontowered airports, the foundation has updated the popular Safety Advisor, Operations at Nontowered Airports. Download the document. This publication reviews entry and exit procedures, safety tips, and provides suggestions on how VFR and IFR traffic can mingle happily."

Please take a moment to download and review this Safety Advisor. It's an excellent summary of information from the FARs, the AIM, and other sources, and it provides practical, easy-to-understand information about safe and proper procedures for everyone to follow. The section on communications is especially helpful. (Begin rant--Note that it does not include the unnecessary but increasingly common frequency-clogging phrases "...taking the active..." and "...any traffic in the area please advise..." which appear nowhere in the AIM, Pilot/Controller glossary, or other official guidelines--end of rant.)

This Safety Advisor is one of many excellent publications available for free download to everyone. You need not be a member of AOPA (atlhough I highly recommend joining).
 
BruceAir said:
From AOPA and the AOPA Air Safety Foundation:

"To help pilots safely get in and out of the nation's more than 13,000 nontowered airports, the foundation has updated the popular Safety Advisor, Operations at Nontowered Airports. Download the document. This publication reviews entry and exit procedures, safety tips, and provides suggestions on how VFR and IFR traffic can mingle happily."

Please take a moment to download and review this Safety Advisor. It's an excellent summary of information from the FARs, the AIM, and other sources, and it provides practical, easy-to-understand information about safe and proper procedures for everyone to follow. The section on communications is especially helpful. (Begin rant--Note that it does not include the unnecessary but increasingly common frequency-clogging phrases "...taking the active..." and "...any traffic in the area please advise..." which appear nowhere in the AIM, Pilot/Controller glossary, or other official guidelines--end of rant.)

This Safety Advisor is one of many excellent publications available for free download to everyone. You need not be a member of AOPA (atlhough I highly recommend joining).
Click to expand...


God bless ASF -- they do good stuff.

Continuing with your rant, how about those who in addition to their tail number and position continue to tell you the names and ages of their children, breed of dog, and other nonsense which has no value to anyone :mad:
 
How is "taking the active" an unnecessary frequency-congesting announcement? I definately want to know if someone's on the runway, especially if I were on final! It seems like a more important announcement than "clear of the active".

--Kath
 
"clear of the active" is important at some fields where the runway isn't completely flat. You can be at the threshold of the runway, and not be able to see all the way to the other end.

If time permits, I announce it. If I know (and see) that somebody is already on final, I may not bother - he owns the runway next anyway and can see that I'm out of the way. If the frequency is particularly busy (true on weekends near me - 3 nearby airports share a CTAF as well as more distant airports), I will probably skip it.
 
I agree. Phrases like "Taking the active" or "rolling on XX remaining in the pattern" are just as valid position reports IMO as "Downwind turning base". You're announcing an entry into the pattern from below.

UN-necessary congestion is what happens some commercial flier places a food order over the CTAF, tying up the freq for 18 other airports in a 50 mile radius...my CFI and I were stunned when that happened to us...
 
This ties into a thread elsewhere about close mid-air collisions. I will sometimes call "other traffic in the pattern please advise" as part of a consideration of the viability of a non-standard pattern entry, like straight in or cross-wind entry. I THINK I scan pretty well but this can also help me to make sure there isn't a little trainer somewhere out there that I am not seeing. OTOH, if there are 8 planes on downwind, the "other traffic..." call is superfluous.

Jim G
 
kath said:
How is "taking the active" an unnecessary frequency-congesting announcement? I definately want to know if someone's on the runway, especially if I were on final! It seems like a more important announcement than "clear of the active".

--Kath
Click to expand...
On a non-towered field, IIRC, there is no "active" runway. There's the runway currently being used, but saying "active" does not identify that particular runway. When I'm ready to go, my call might be "Mooney 201RE, runway 33 for departure to the north".
 
I agree that "Cessna 07H, departing 33 remaining in the pattern" is better than "taking the active" - but "taking the active" at least tells you that someone is launching, vs. nothing, which tells you nothing. :)
 
"taking the active" works fine for runway identification at untowered airports with only one runway! (and that's most of them, I think)

I generally go with "XXXX Traffic, Cherokee departing runway YY, XXXX"
 
Most airports have an even number of runways, Mark. :)

And many non-towered fields have multiple runways - 0W3 for example has one paved strip and two grass strips for a total of 6 runways.
 
MSmith said:
"taking the active" works fine for runway identification at untowered airports with only one runway! (and that's most of them, I think)

I generally go with "XXXX Traffic, Cherokee departing runway YY, XXXX"
Click to expand...

Good.

Seems to me that the taking the active call is pretty useless. It conveys only that an aircraft has positioned itself on a runway (not even which one) it has determined is the active runway. (As an aside, I always want to ask the pilot to bring it back when they are finished). If the aircraft states what the runway is and what they are doing they convey much more information. This is much more usefule, first, an i/b aircraft receives notice of what runway is actually in use and therefore may not need to call in to obtain that info. Second, I'd like to know what the pilot on the runway intends. Is this a departure? A high speed taxi test? If its a departure are they remaining in the pattern? Departing the pattern and if so what direction?

I much prefer "xyz traffic Mooney departing 24 left downwind departure" to Mooney taking the active.

"taking the active" as you imho correctly don't use, is just not enought info.
 
[font=arial,helvetica]RE: “Taking the active.”

I don’t know the etymology of this phrase. As far as I can tell, it does not appear in the AIM, the Pilot/Controller Glossary, any Advisory Circular, or any industry recommendation. A contributor to an article at AOPA (surf to http://www.aopa.org/asf/publications/inst_reports2.cfm?article=4767 and scroll down to the first paragraph in the section “Communication and situational awareness”) suggests it’s an attempt to sound “cool.”

Perhaps. I think it’s conversational filler, like “like,” that helps us avoid the Dreaded Pause While the Transmit Button is Pressed, especially when our brains are still completing the run-up as the airplane waddles across the hold line.

Regardless, “Taking the active” conveys no useful information that isn’t already included in “Podunk traffic, Cessna three-three golf departing runway one-eight.”

Now, “Taking the active” is only three words. And at a sleepy airport like Bear Spoor, Montana, the phrase probably doesn’t contribute to frequency congestion, confusion, or the general decline of civilized discourse.

But in areas like the Puget Sound, where many airports share CTAFs, when almost everyone says “Taking the active,” these unnecessary words do add to the cacophony of squeals, stepped-on downwind announcements, and other essential communications, such as, “Does anybody know if the restaurant is still open?”

As for "any traffic in the area please advise," I'll channel [/font][font=arial,helvetica]Rick Durden's March 23, 2003 column on AvWeb: http://www.avweb.com/news/columns/183931-1.html[/font]
 
Bruce,

Thanks for the link to the Safety Advisor pdf document. I've not read the entire document yet but will today.

As for Rick Durden's article, I don't see what has him in such a wad.

"Any other traffic please advise" around here is used quite a bit at the Wal-Mart base airport (non-towered). To me it simply means, "If you're out there then let's talk so we don't rain down Lear pieces all over everyone." Occasionally there are four or five Lears within 10 miles of the airport all being released from approach at the same time. Add to that the pattern work going on because of the local 141 school and it becomes absolutely critical to communicate. "Arrogant twits who sail into the area of an airport, blithely demanding that the world kowtow to them by dropping everything and, as good peasants, reveal their precise positions, even if they had done so 10 seconds earlier". In those 10 seconds four Lears have covered a lot of ground. For one of those pilots to want to know where I am in the pattern so we can coordinate just doesn't seem to me to be an outrageous request.

I say go ahead and chat up 122.8 if it helps encourage someone else to announce his/her position around the airport. It's the guys and gals who are out there who don't use the radio at all that I worry about.

Chip
 
kath said:
How is "taking the active" an unnecessary frequency-congesting announcement? I definately want to know if someone's on the runway, especially if I were on final! It seems like a more important announcement than "clear of the active".

--Kath
Click to expand...

I've seen it at least once prevent a crash, as the 152 coming out of the sun on a short final started hollering at the plane that just made the announcement, and hadn't seen the 152.

I'll continue to use it unless the radio is seriously busy.
 
I don't intend to discourage plain-language communications when they'll help clarify the situation and avoid confusion.

Unfortunately, "any traffic in the area, please advise" usually results in a loud squeal, and it really isn't necessary.

Pilots who are following the procedures by monitoring the CTAF and making the standard announcements can get a good picture of what's going on. If I'm in or near the pattern and I hear another pilot making a standard announcement and it sounds like we might have a conflict, I'll speak up, saying something like "Podunk traffic, Cessna 123 fox is 3 miles out on the 45 for runway 34, I'll extend my downwind to follow the Lear that just called in on a 4 mile final."

But there's no need to start a "check-in" of everyone in the area by announcing "any traffic in the area, please advise."
 
kath said:
How is "taking the active" an unnecessary frequency-congesting announcement? I definately want to know if someone's on the runway, especially if I were on final! It seems like a more important announcement than "clear of the active".

--Kath
Click to expand...

Kath,

I'd much rather hear "Windbag 45Tango taking runway 24 for takeoff" than "Hotshot 69Sierra taking the active". The first conveys much more information.
 
kath said:
How is "taking the active" an unnecessary frequency-congesting announcement? I definately want to know if someone's on the runway, especially if I were on final! It seems like a more important announcement than "clear of the active".

--Kath
Click to expand...

Kath, I don't think the word "active" is useful. If I'm at my home airport in calm air, is the "active" 27 or 9? At an untowered field with more than one runway, it's even more confusing.

I think it's much more meaningful to announce something like:

Brandywine, helicopter is departing 27 to the north, Brandywine.
or
Brandywine, helicopter is clear of 9, Brandywine.

Remember also, that there is no such thing as an "active" runway at an untowered airport, only at towered airports where active runway(s) are announced on ATIS.
 
If you only have one physical strip of concrete/asphalt/grass (didn't get me that time, did you), then being clear of "the active" means that you aren't in the way of either direction, yes?
 
MSmith said:
If you only have one physical strip of concrete/asphalt/grass (didn't get me that time, did you), then being clear of "the active" means that you aren't in the way of either direction, yes?
Click to expand...

Yes, and while I must admit uttering those exact words now and then (when I can't remember the exact runway # in a senior moment), my preference is either "Baron 25Q, clear of Rwy XX", or the universal "... clear of all runways" assuming you're not about to cross one on the way to the ramp.
 
BruceAir said:
I don't intend to discourage plain-language communications when they'll help clarify the situation and avoid confusion.

Unfortunately, "any traffic in the area, please advise" usually results in a loud squeal, and it really isn't necessary...

...But there's no need to start a "check-in" of everyone in the area by announcing "any traffic in the area, please advise."
Click to expand...

I'm with you Bruce, IME the "any traffic..." call rarely improves anyones situational awareness. The one scenario where it might actually make sense is for a plane on an IFR approach into VMC below the clouds who wasn't able to monitor the CTAF until near the pattern due to frequency congestion on the ATC channel (BTDT). But even then, I think a brief statement of the IFR plane's position and intentions is at least as likely to provoke a meaningful reply and far more useful to the other traffic. If you are entering downwind, there's really little point in hearing from a plane on a reasonably short final or one that's just taking off, but an announcement by anyone turning downwind, on downwind, or turning base would serve the interests of both the arriving and in pattern aircraft.

OTOH, I don't see much point in getting in a lather every time someone transmits the "any traffic in the area" nonsense either.
 
As for MR. Durdens article on "Any traffic, Please advise"..I cant help but think of this guy as a snob. Who does he think he is? If you read the article here ....

Mr. Durden states.."As much as I detest extraneous verbiage on Unicom and rarely think it's appropriate to correct someone on the air, it's about time we stand up to the arrogant twits who sail into the area of an airport, blithely demanding that the world kowtow to them by dropping everything and, as good peasants, reveal their precise positions, even if they had done so 10 seconds earlier."
Excuse me sir, but 10 seconds ago i wasnt able to hear your call because maybe i was with center or approach, and i dont like being referred to as a twit....Just when i think this guy cant get any more snobbish..he opens his piehole again.."The inevitable happened. Just as animal waste flows downhill, pilots who should have known better started emulating the commuters, and the ab initio schools who figured that they had to mimic the commuters caused the "any traffic" foolishness to spread like flatulence in a closed room." So is that this guys problem? He was a comercial comuter pilot who thinks he is better than the rest of us..so it was ok for him to use the phrase, but as soon as the rest of us started asking others in the area for reports, we are twits.
Im sorry I cant stand the guy.
I can see both sides to the story here. And agree with both sides as well. If i feel the need. I am going to be a twit I guess and make that call.

Michael
 
I dunno Michael. Don't most IFR planes have 2 radios? When I'm coming into my home field and I'm IFR, I've got my second radio tuned in to my fields CTAF before I am within 25 miles of it. I keep the volume at about 30-40% of the primary (approach frequency) radio so that any ATC radio calls will easily stomp out the secondary radio stuff. I always have a picture in my mind of what's going on at my field well before I get there, well before I've gotten on the frequency and well before I make the "any traffic in the area please advise" Next time I hear that call I'm going to say "I advise you to listen." Not to mention EVERY time I've been released from approach to advisory frequency they tell me what they see between me and at my field. No reason I should have to ask "any traffic in the area please advise me if I am a moron" even if I've been too lazy to punch in 123.075 15 minutes ago.
 
N2212R said:
I dunno Michael. Don't most IFR planes have 2 radios? When I'm coming into my home field and I'm IFR, I've got my second radio tuned in to my fields CTAF before I am within 25 miles of it. I keep the volume at about 30-40% of the primary (approach frequency) radio so that any ATC radio calls will easily stomp out the secondary radio stuff. I always have a picture in my mind of what's going on at my field well before I get there, well before I've gotten on the frequency and well before I make the "any traffic in the area please advise" Next time I hear that call I'm going to say "I advise you to listen." Not to mention EVERY time I've been released from approach to advisory frequency they tell me what they see between me and at my field. No reason I should have to ask "any traffic in the area please advise me if I am a moron" even if I've been too lazy to punch in 123.075 15 minutes ago.
Click to expand...

Well, you make a good point there.
 
The 'any traffic' thing does kinda irk me. There is a LOT of training north and south of Phoenix. Everyone makes location calls, giving location, altitude and intended manuevers (ie "Northeast Practice Area, Cessna 4TR over Saguaro Lake, 4,500, stalls and slow flight, Northeast"). Everyone who is ON frequency is listening and will say something if it's going to result in a 'same space' situation. So my question is:

If the aircraft in the vicinity is in your way and on frequency, don't you think they'd say something? And if they're not in your way but on frequency, not saying anything has no effect. And if they're in your way but NOT on frequency, you're not getting a sitrep anyway. So why say it?
 
This is all very interesting.

I land at several non-towered airports; most of the time there is no other traffic. I try to adjust to the volume of traffic. If there is established traffic on the radio, I try to work into it. Normally, I do the 45 degree pattern entry; however, if entering from the other side of the field, I try to enter cross wind. It gives me the best view of the field, wind sock and departing traffic.

I usually have the second radio on CTAF but it's not "always" possible to pick up and visualize traffic. Sometimes (very infrequently) approach is just so congested, I can't hear #2 very well. But, that's the exception. Normally I monitor #2 and make a call 10 to 15 miles out. If there's a lot of VFR traffic it usually means conditions are VMC, I can usually cancel IFR and come in visually and work into traffic. If ceilings are lower and I'm coming in on an approach, I seldom encounter a lot of VFR traffic. There is ocassionally some, but it's usually easy to work in. Normally, the approach is straight in and the VFR guys are aware of the approach.

I have had a problem or two with Nordo guys buzzing along at low altitudes not communicating. As soon as I break out, I sure try to look, but hope they understand what's going on. Approach has taken me around once for VFR traffic in the pattern, however, many times no radar is available and I'm on my own.

Be careful out there!! :)

As to Rick's comments; yes, he does sometimes sound a little aloof sometimes. He writes a lot and has many excellent articles; still, once in awhile, it comes across as a little self centered. Sometimes he's trying to be humorous and it may not be funny to all. I've asked him for help on a couple of issues and he's been very free with his time and comments. He's got a very wry wit. So, try not to be too hard on him. I'm sure I come across wrong sometimes. It's a little hard for me to give the time to aviation I would like to; so, I may come across as terse sometime, but I don't mean to. ;)

Best,

Dave
 
N2212R said:
I dunno Michael. Don't most IFR planes have 2 radios? When I'm coming into my home field and I'm IFR, I've got my second radio tuned in to my fields CTAF before I am within 25 miles of it. I keep the volume at about 30-40% of the primary (approach frequency) radio so that any ATC radio calls will easily stomp out the secondary radio stuff.
Click to expand...

That doesn't always work due to frequency congestion or either the ATC channel or the CTAF. There have been plenty of times when the transmissions on the ATC freq. were nearly continuous making it impossible to discern anything on the CTAF. In fact such a situation is likely to result in a late handoff to the CTAF by ATC compounding the problem. And when the CTAF is blessed with a continuous series of overlapping transmissions from planes at several airports, I find it difficult to hear ATC if I turn the volume on the CTAF up high enough understand what's being said and by who said it. Three pilots cluttering up the freq with "any traffic..." calls just exacerbates this problem.

That said. I still think an announcement of my position with the airport name stated twice sans the "any traffic.."
is sufficient to provoke a response from any potential conflicting traffic if the pilots are paying attention.
 
True enough Lance, but when you hear the guy on the radio with

Podunk traffic.....Pipna 465.......78.....we're....uh........7...miles....to theeeeeee....uh.....southwe--- east...southeast at....uh.....3....any traffic....uh...please advise.

you know these guys are not just getting released from an IFR clearance.
 
N2212R said:
I dunno Michael. Don't most IFR planes have 2 radios?
Click to expand...

Yes, but... AIM 6-2-6 (2) "encourages" pilots to monitor guard frequency while in flight. I generally do this in my Cherokee except to use comm 2 to quickly listen to ATIS or CTAF and then toggle back to guard. In our Robinson it's too much of a pain and distraction to play with comm 2, so if I'm under ATC control, I'll ask for a frequency change (comm 1 stores 20 frequencies toggled by a switch on the cyclic).
 
What is also bothersome at non-towered fields is where the locals have just become used to chatting with each other on the frequency like it's a CB radio. I was coming into Paris, Texas one nice afternoon and there was so much how's the new XYZ running Clem and how's the family Bert, I couldn't announce until well in the pattern.

As I was turning base to final and getting ready to make another call, someone on the ground got on and made a long announcement that ended with Earnie was fixin to depart in his new RV-6 on a cross runway.

I finally got on with an announcement I was one one mile final and didn't see an RV-6 departing, please confirm position. As I was about 1/4 mile and about to go around, the person on ground came back on and said, " Well, Earnie's fixin to depart on that runway; he's not out there yet".

Welcome to Texas!!

Best,

Dave
A-36TN ADS
 
RotaryWingBob said:
Yes, but... AIM 6-2-6 (2) "encourages" pilots to monitor guard frequency while in flight. I generally do this in my Cherokee except to use comm 2 to quickly listen to ATIS or CTAF and then toggle back to guard. In our Robinson it's too much of a pain and distraction to play with comm 2, so if I'm under ATC control, I'll ask for a frequency change (comm 1 stores 20 frequencies toggled by a switch on the cyclic).
Click to expand...


Guard does get monitored on radio #2 until I get to with 10-15 minutes of my destination. If I'm still under ATC control, radio #1 is Center/Approach and #2 is CTAF. Once I've been released from ATC (whether it's a IFR cancellation with the field in site, or VFR Flight Following service termination) the only thing I will be listening to is the CTAF. Sorry, I'm not going to monitor guard while I'm flying an IAP or trying to mesh with local VFR traffic. Got enough stuff going on in the cockpit at that point. Sort of like the sterlie environment big iron wants when under 10k.
 
I'm with Ed.

Enroute, even when IFR and talking to center, number 2 is on 121.5 unless I'm talking to Flight Watch or FSS. I know a lot of folks don't monitor 121.5 when talking to center. I've heard several ELTs and monitored several emergencies on 121.5. Several times I've heard folks get warning to stay out of a restricted or prohibited area. I'd sure hate to be on the ground in need of help only to have a GA plane pass over and not be able to reach them. I know the airlines monitor, but there certainly could be situations were a GA plane could assist or monitor when an airliner couldn't hear or assist.

As I approach a field and have several frequencies to monitor, I use number 2 for that: ATIS, CTAF; Tower; ground, etc. I always try to monitor the next frequency I'll be on to get situational awareness. When finally taxiing in, I often call for fuel on number 2 (to get topped off). If I get a chance, I'll monitor guard again before parking--one time I caught an ELT on the field that way.

Best,



Dave
 
Oops, forgot to mentions, I've had center call on 121.5 when they couldn't hear me on the last assigned frequency and give me the frequency change. Lots of airliners on there also calling one another saying center is looking for them on a frequency.

Sure would hate to call Center in an emergency and find I was at a cross over point and they couldn't hear me.

Best,

Dave
A-36TN ADS
 
As a general rule I want to know everything practical about what someone is
doing or is about to do. I'm not offended by "any traffic in the area please
advise" and hear it a lot including from the commercial operators. I fly out of a
non-towered airport and talking is good as long it's not of the lunch order
variety.
 
I believe when you read this thread, you must gain the understanding having radios, NOT having radios, Talking, not talking, is not what makes us safe.

Pilots attitude, and being able to cope with any situation is what keeps you flying. SAFE.
 
lancefisher said:
That said. I still think an announcement of my position with the airport name stated twice sans the "any traffic.."
is sufficient to provoke a response from any potential conflicting traffic if the pilots are paying attention.
Click to expand...

I agree. And I was thinking about why "any traffic please advise" bothers me so much. I think it's because someone is giving me extra work to do instead of providing helpful information. If I'm taking off or landing or doing anything in the pattern, I'm too busy to answer a general call from someone who might be anywhere -- perhaps miles away. Sometimes they call from 5 or more miles out.

On the other hand, if someone announces he's on the 45 and asks if there's traffic on downwind, and I'm there, I will surely answer. But that's different, it's specific on his part, and specific to me.
 
AOPA Air Safety Foundation has just posted an updated Safety Hot Spot about operations at non-towered airports. The Web page consolidates information from many sources via links.

Check it out at: http://www.aopa.org/asf/hotspot/
 
Toby said:
I agree. And I was thinking about why "any traffic please advise" bothers me so much. I think it's because someone is giving me extra work to do instead of providing helpful information. If I'm taking off or landing or doing anything in the pattern, I'm too busy to answer a general call from someone who might be anywhere -- perhaps miles away. Sometimes they call from 5 or more miles out.

On the other hand, if someone announces he's on the 45 and asks if there's traffic on downwind, and I'm there, I will surely answer. But that's different, it's specific on his part, and specific to me.
Click to expand...


Ya, got that right! :yes:

I did some dual with my CFI yesterday. As we ended for the day and were taxiing back we heard a child's voice come on the CTAF and do a good job announcing "Campbell area traffic...Archer xxxx N miles out.." and then of course, "...any traffic in the area please advise." I said (on the intercom) "Nothing like teaching the kid to do the wrong call."

I did some pattern work on runway 6 with the winds coming from the north.
There was an Archer doing pattern work on 6 when we were also on 6 falling in with him. He eventually left the pattern when I did several landings with the crosswind on 9. We later heard the Archer announce 5 miles out for 6. We decided to stay with 9 and watch for him.

A Stearman announced he was close to turning base 9. He might have heard me using 9, but I saw him leave on 27 earlier. We waited for the Stearman to clear 9 - actually Joe SAID "WE'LL WAIT" when the Stearman said he was back taxiing. The Stearman said, "It's a way to long taxi." Right. And we've been taxiing that "long way" (2500 feet) the whole time.

In the meantime the Archer announced he was overflying the field above the a pattern altitude. You gotta know wondering which runway to use might have been concerting.

With the Stearman clear, I announced a take off on 9 for pattern. The Archer announced entering the pattern for 6. As I barely rotate we hear a female voice on the CTAF "THERE'S CHEROKEE OUT THERE USING THE WRONG RUNWAY ON 9 AND HE'S NOT TALKING TO ANYONE!" The Archer says, " I heard him."

Joe is wondering if our radios are working when I told him the Archer said he heard me. I see the Archer on final for 6 as I turned base for 9. No problemo. I was getting better at the doing the rub tummy, pat head thing for crosswinds.

Joe and I headed out of the pattern to burn some carbon. As I made my last landing on 6, it was a decent greaser. Joe said, "good one." We heard the female voice say, "Cherokee 8-4 Mike, sorry I yelled." Nice landing."

"Thanks. My instructor thought so, too." ;)

Fun at the ol' airport.

Oh, and as I packed the car I talked a bit to Alan Klapmeyer, CEO of Cirrus as he bid goobye to his family and fueled his SR-22. He had gone from Duluth->Ft. Lauderdale in 6 1/2 hours the day before. He had spent 8 1/2 hours with one stop getting back as far as Campbell. Durn winds.
 
As to "... please advise.", I've heard this on the back end of an IFR training approach and taken it to mean "NON STANDARD [VFR] APPROACH". It should be a heads up to get you looking beyond the standard VFR pattern for approach. How many VFR only pilots know the IFR approaches into their local airport? Hopefully you got enough information to figure out where the arriving aircraft is.
I know that while I was training, no one ever told me what those nonstandard radio calls related to.
Yes, it may be too much information, and it may result in too much frequency chatter, but does it help?
"Taking the active" is a word or two short of complete. The more appropriate would be "Podunk traffic, Warrior 4321A, taking the active 6 for departure, Podunk". While it is more words than recommended, it probably isn't wrong since it tells arriving aircraft the prefered runway. If in fact, it means the plane is positioning for takeoff pending a clear runway, then that's wrong. You shouldn't be on the runway unless it IS clear.
-John
 
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