Sequester Consequences -Operating at unfamiliar non-towered airports.

One difficulty of flying into unfamiliar non-towered airports is the local phraseology and reporting points being called out by the locals.

I have a customer who tells an interesting story about arriving into KPVG or Hampton Roads Virginia which is a little to the southwest of Norfolk International. This gentleman was on an IFR flight plan in his pristine, refurbished late model Bonanza. My customer is a competent and safe pilot who flies for pleasure and in pursuit of his business several hundred hours a year. As he was cleared for an approach he was advised to cancel in the air or on the ground and given the familiar ”change to advisory frequency approved”. The ASOS reported calm winds and being unfamiliar with the area he kept his instrument clearance and continued with the approach, all the while believing he owned the airspace down to the runway.

Changing frequencies he advised, “Hampton Roads Traffic Bonanza inbound from SEZJY GPS 10”.  He announced his position numerous times as he flew the ten-mile final approach course, giving his position relative to the various fixes on the approach.  As he hand flew a flawless approach he kept hearing other airplanes on the frequency “in right traffic for two eight HAMRO” but due to their Virginia accents, local landmark callouts, and non-standard phraseology he thought nothing about it.  As he descended to the MDA he looked up, saw the runway, announced he was short final for runway 10 while transitioning for a visual landing. During the round out to the flare he finally understood what HAMRO was when he nearly collided with another airplane doing a touch and go on runway 28 and HAM(pton)RO(ads) 

Going into Dare County once we were confused when ATC kept giving us our position relative to Manteo. Finally I queried the controller what he meant by Manteo? He apologized and told me that’s how the locals refer to the airport. That was useful information and as we spotted the field, cancelled and announced on Unicom a Mooney was entering the downwind for Manteo everyone flying there knew whom and where we were. We have friends who are based at KMRH, or Beaufort North Carolina.  When we went to visit them I asked Pete what they call the airport. The name in the AF/D is Michael J Smith Field, The sectional shows SMITH (MRH) on 122.8 but you cannot call it Smith Field because there is a Smithfield NC airport. Pete explained that the natives call it BOFort which saved us having to figure that out on the fly.

14CFR91.103 requires that each pilot in command shall before beginning a flight become familiar with all of the information concerning that flight. Most of us now have Internet connected smartphones, tablets or laptops we carry and use as part of our preflight planning. Picking up the phone and speaking to someone at the field to ask if there is any particular name or reporting points the local’s use can save you some confusion while keeping everyone safer.