CTAF Radio Calls at a Non-Towered Airport

Before you are 10 miles out

1. Find the CTAF. It is printed next to the airport on the sectional chart and listed in the Chart Supplement. It may be a UNICOM, MULTICOM, FSS or tower frequency (Pilot/Controller Glossary). Where an airport has no tower, FSS or UNICOM, the frequency is MULTICOM, 122.9 (AIM 4-1-9).
2. Get the wind. Listen to the field's automated weather if it has one. A UNICOM operator, if there is one, may be able to give you the wind and the recommended runway on request (AIM 4-1-9).
3. Listen. Other pilots' calls tell you which runway is in use and where the traffic is. The AIM asks inbound pilots to monitor the CTAF from 10 miles out until landing (AIM 4-1-9).

When to make each call

Call	When	What it tells the others
Inbound	About 10 miles out	Who is coming, from where, at what altitude, and to which runway
Entering downwind	As you join the downwind	Where to look for you in the pattern
Turning base	As you turn	The pilot behind you knows when to turn
Final	Lined up with the runway	Pilots holding short know the runway is about to be busy
Clear of the runway	Once the whole airplane is past the hold short markings	The next pilot knows the runway is free

Those five points are the inbound calls in the AIM's table of recommended broadcasts (AIM 4-1-9). The words for the first four are in the calls at the top of this page; the last is “Springfield traffic, Cessna One Two Three Alpha Zulu, clear of runway two seven, Springfield”. AC 90-66C gives the pattern calls as “entering left/right downwind for runway [XX]”, “on left/right base for runway [XX]” and “on final for runway [XX]” (AC 90-66C 9.11.2).

Joining the pattern

• Enter on a 45-degree angle to the downwind, abeam the middle of the runway, at pattern altitude (AC 90-66C 11.3).
• Get down to pattern altitude before you join, well clear of the pattern. Descending into it can create a collision hazard (AC 90-66C 11.2, 11.3).
• Pattern altitude for propeller airplanes is 1,000 feet above the airport, unless the Chart Supplement publishes another (AC 90-66C, Appendix A).
• Turns are to the left unless the airport shows otherwise (AIM 4-3-3).

A straight-in approach is discouraged by the FAA. If you fly one anyway, announce it about 8 to 10 miles out, and remember it gives you no priority over the traffic already in the pattern (AIM 4-1-9, AC 90-66C 9.11.1).

Why the airport name goes first and last

Airports near each other may share the same frequency. Saying the airport name at the beginning and the end of each call tells everyone which field you mean (AIM 4-1-9, AC 90-66C 9.8.1). Use the airport's name as published, not the name of a nearby town (AC 90-66C 10.1).

Common mistakes

• “Any traffic in the area, please advise.” The AIM and AC 90-66C both say this is not a recognized phrase and should not be used under any condition (AIM 4-1-9, AC 90-66C 9.8.1). Pilots in the area are expected to announce themselves without being asked (AC 90-66C 9.8.1).
• No runway number. “Entering downwind” means little at an airport with two runways.
• A color instead of a callsign. Say your type to help others spot you, but a paint scheme does not replace the callsign (AC 90-66C 9.8.1).
• Descending into the pattern. Level at pattern altitude first, then join.
• Talking too much. While you talk, you may block someone else's call. Keep calls to what others need to know (AC 90-66C 10.1, 10.2).
• Trusting the radio alone. Not every aircraft has a radio, and not every pilot announces (AIM 4-1-9). Keep looking outside.

FAQ

Do I have to make CTAF calls?

Procedures at non-towered airports generally do not require a radio (AC 90-66C 9.12.2), so expect some aircraft without one. If you have a radio, use it: AC 90-66C says CTAF procedures by radio-equipped aircraft are required at airports without an operating control tower (AC 90-66C 9.9). The calls are how the other pilots know where you are.

What is the difference between CTAF and UNICOM?

The CTAF is the frequency everyone announces on. UNICOM is a non-government station that may give airport information on request (AIM 4-1-9). At many airports the UNICOM frequency is also the CTAF, which is why the two names get mixed up.

What do I say when I depart?

Announce before you taxi and again before you take the runway, with the runway and the direction you will leave in (AIM 4-1-9, AC 90-66C 9.5.3).

Is “traffic” the right word after the airport name?

Yes. The AIM's own examples begin “Strawn traffic” and end with “Strawn”, the name of the airport (AIM 4-1-9).