Wingin' It - Arlington Municipal Airport Newsletter Wingin' It - Issue 4 - March 2015 | Page 2

Wingin’ It
Visibility Minimums Increase to ¾-Mile
(cont’d from Page 1)
Coffman and Associates did a study and determined that the ½-mile minimum provided only .27% (less than 1/3
percent) more landing availability than a ¾-mile minimum. After considering all the factors, we requested that the FAA
raise our minimum visibility requirement to ¾ of a mile.
This is an unusual step for an airport to take; however, the cost to maintain the ½-mile minimum outweighs the
benefit. At ¾-mile, the MALSR remains fully functional, the RPZ shrinks back onto Airport property and the runway
width remains at 100 ft. This keeps our infrastructure investments focused on projects that benefit the Airport most.
A 10-year forecast of infrastructure projects will be available in June, as part of the final Development Plan draft. As a
reminder, drafts of the Development Plan Documents are available online for viewing here:
http://www.arlington-tx.gov/airport/airport-development-plan/.
ATCT Matters
Tim Wollenburg, Air Traffic Control Tower Manager, wanted to feature the
February and March 2015 issues of CALLBACK, published by the NASA Avia-
tion Safety Reporting System. Please take time to read these very informa-
tive newsletters and consider—What Would You Have Done?
http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/docs/cb/cb_421.pdf
http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/docs/cb/cb_422.pdf
What is the requirement for pilots operating after hours at Arlington Airport or any other airport where the Air
Traffic Tower is not operated 24 hours a day?
(See excerpt from the Airman Information Manual below, Chapter 4)
Communicating on a Common Frequency
5. Tower or FSS not in
operation
Self-announce on CTAF.
Before taxiing and
before taxiing on
the runway for de-
parture.
10 miles out.
Entering
downwind, base,
and final. Leaving
the runway.
1. The key to communicating at an airport without an operating control tower is selection of the correct common fre-
quency. The acronym CTAF, which stands for Common Traffic Advisory Frequency, is synonymous with this pro-
gram. A CTAF is a frequency designated for the purpose of carrying out airport advisory practices while operating
to or from an airport without an operating control tower. The CTAF may be a UNICOM, MULTICOM, FSS, or tower
frequency and is identified in appropriate aeronautical publications.
2