Narrative:

At rkd (knox county maine regional airport) on aug/thu/91, pilot received an IFR clearance by telephone from brunswick naval air station (nhz) which controls traffic via remote facility at this uncontrolled airport. Clearance included a request to call on the remote frequency 123.8 prior to takeoff. This is a relatively new procedure at this airport. Pilot has been flying from this field for about 20 yrs. Prior procedure was to obtain the clearance directly while in the airplane on the remote frequency. Such clrncs for the past 20 or so yrs invariably included a void time with instructions to call airborne. As the airport is uncontrolled, pilots routinely report position including taxi and takeoff in the clear on unicom frequency 122.8. On this occasion pilot on taxiing out, monitored both frequencys heard no arrival or departure on the remote frequency, called his takeoff on the unicom and commencing his climb reported his takeoff as he had done in the past, calling airborne. The controller remonstrated with pilot, asked if he was VFR and his altitude. Pilot reported VFR over the ocean at 500 ft. After a while controller cleared pilot as filed. While pilot believes there was no violation here as he was VFR in uncontrolled airspace over the ocean at 500 ft before being cleared, he believes there is a lesson here. When procedures long adhered to are changed, pilots, most especially older pilots who are accustomed to such procedures as habitual, must pay them special attention. Not just write them down. The pilot doing as he had always done was mistaken, luckily there were no hazards to anyone in this occurrence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA MADE A TKOF INTO AN ACTIVE CTL ZONE WITHOUT A CLRNC RELEASE TIME.

Narrative: AT RKD (KNOX COUNTY MAINE REGIONAL ARPT) ON AUG/THU/91, PLT RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC BY TELEPHONE FROM BRUNSWICK NAVAL AIR STATION (NHZ) WHICH CTLS TFC VIA REMOTE FACILITY AT THIS UNCTLED ARPT. CLRNC INCLUDED A REQUEST TO CALL ON THE REMOTE FREQ 123.8 PRIOR TO TKOF. THIS IS A RELATIVELY NEW PROC AT THIS ARPT. PLT HAS BEEN FLYING FROM THIS FIELD FOR ABOUT 20 YRS. PRIOR PROC WAS TO OBTAIN THE CLRNC DIRECTLY WHILE IN THE AIRPLANE ON THE REMOTE FREQ. SUCH CLRNCS FOR THE PAST 20 OR SO YRS INVARIABLY INCLUDED A VOID TIME WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO CALL AIRBORNE. AS THE ARPT IS UNCTLED, PLTS ROUTINELY RPT POS INCLUDING TAXI AND TKOF IN THE CLR ON UNICOM FREQ 122.8. ON THIS OCCASION PLT ON TAXIING OUT, MONITORED BOTH FREQS HEARD NO ARR OR DEP ON THE REMOTE FREQ, CALLED HIS TKOF ON THE UNICOM AND COMMENCING HIS CLB RPTED HIS TKOF AS HE HAD DONE IN THE PAST, CALLING AIRBORNE. THE CTLR REMONSTRATED WITH PLT, ASKED IF HE WAS VFR AND HIS ALT. PLT RPTED VFR OVER THE OCEAN AT 500 FT. AFTER A WHILE CTLR CLRED PLT AS FILED. WHILE PLT BELIEVES THERE WAS NO VIOLATION HERE AS HE WAS VFR IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE OVER THE OCEAN AT 500 FT BEFORE BEING CLRED, HE BELIEVES THERE IS A LESSON HERE. WHEN PROCS LONG ADHERED TO ARE CHANGED, PLTS, MOST ESPECIALLY OLDER PLTS WHO ARE ACCUSTOMED TO SUCH PROCS AS HABITUAL, MUST PAY THEM SPECIAL ATTN. NOT JUST WRITE THEM DOWN. THE PLT DOING AS HE HAD ALWAYS DONE WAS MISTAKEN, LUCKILY THERE WERE NO HAZARDS TO ANYONE IN THIS OCCURRENCE.

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.