Narrative:

At the northwest regional fly-in, arlington, wa, I was #1 for departure on runway 34. There had been a midair collision between 2 home built aircraft several mins earlier. With debris on the runway, causing a temporary closing of the runway to departing aircraft, also there was dozens of aircraft in the pattern or trying to enter the pattern with a high level of confusion between aircraft and the temporary tower. I had been calling the tower asking for a takeoff clearance but I could not get a reply, after waiting in front of a long line of aircraft for about 30 mins. A pick up dropped off 2 ground personnel holding signalling batons. The tower directed other aircraft holding at the end of runway 34 that they would be guided onto the runway for departure by ground personnel, 1 of the ground personnel pointed at my aircraft, and directed me onto the runway, using his arms and signaling wands, and repeatedly motioned me to depart down the runway. This was what caused my concern and confusion because I had not been in contact with the tower and did not know if this controller standing at the end of the runway had the authority to direct me onto an active runway and direct me to takeoff. It is my belief that if at an air show or fly-in, the FAA is going to use controllers on the ground directing departing aircraft visually, that they (the FAA) should notify and brief pilots through mailed circulars, or in the form of NOTAMS, the special procedures they may expect to use departing an air show in heavy traffic using visual instructions. That would eliminate a lot of confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA DEPARTS WITH GND PERSONNEL SIGNALS, NO TWR CONTACT.

Narrative: AT THE NW REGIONAL FLY-IN, ARLINGTON, WA, I WAS #1 FOR DEP ON RWY 34. THERE HAD BEEN A MIDAIR COLLISION BTWN 2 HOME BUILT ACFT SEVERAL MINS EARLIER. WITH DEBRIS ON THE RWY, CAUSING A TEMPORARY CLOSING OF THE RWY TO DEPARTING ACFT, ALSO THERE WAS DOZENS OF ACFT IN THE PATTERN OR TRYING TO ENTER THE PATTERN WITH A HIGH LEVEL OF CONFUSION BTWN ACFT AND THE TEMPORARY TWR. I HAD BEEN CALLING THE TWR ASKING FOR A TKOF CLRNC BUT I COULD NOT GET A REPLY, AFTER WAITING IN FRONT OF A LONG LINE OF ACFT FOR ABOUT 30 MINS. A PICK UP DROPPED OFF 2 GND PERSONNEL HOLDING SIGNALLING BATONS. THE TWR DIRECTED OTHER ACFT HOLDING AT THE END OF RWY 34 THAT THEY WOULD BE GUIDED ONTO THE RWY FOR DEP BY GND PERSONNEL, 1 OF THE GND PERSONNEL POINTED AT MY ACFT, AND DIRECTED ME ONTO THE RWY, USING HIS ARMS AND SIGNALING WANDS, AND REPEATEDLY MOTIONED ME TO DEPART DOWN THE RWY. THIS WAS WHAT CAUSED MY CONCERN AND CONFUSION BECAUSE I HAD NOT BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE TWR AND DID NOT KNOW IF THIS CTLR STANDING AT THE END OF THE RWY HAD THE AUTHORITY TO DIRECT ME ONTO AN ACTIVE RWY AND DIRECT ME TO TKOF. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT IF AT AN AIR SHOW OR FLY-IN, THE FAA IS GOING TO USE CTLRS ON THE GND DIRECTING DEPARTING ACFT VISUALLY, THAT THEY (THE FAA) SHOULD NOTIFY AND BRIEF PLTS THROUGH MAILED CIRCULARS, OR IN THE FORM OF NOTAMS, THE SPECIAL PROCS THEY MAY EXPECT TO USE DEPARTING AN AIR SHOW IN HVY TFC USING VISUAL INSTRUCTIONS. THAT WOULD ELIMINATE A LOT OF CONFUSION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.