Small aircraft chkflt practices at previously non tower airport. Tower currently in operation.

Attributes
ACN	204120
Time
Date	199203
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fws
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fws tower : cle
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 275 flight time type : 3
ASRS Report	204120
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : company check pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed arlington airport (F54) and flew to spinks airport (fws), approximately 13 mi, to practice lndgs as part of a chkout in an small aircraft. The small aircraft was not radio equipped and spinks was designated an uncontrolled airport on current sectional chart (issued jan 1992) and in the facilities directory. After making several lndgs, we were informed by personnel on the ground that there was now a tower at the airport and that the tower had been trying to contact us on the radio. After relaying information to the tower that we were not aware of the control tower, had not seen any light signals and were not radio equipped, they allowed us to takeoff and depart the area. It would be better if the change to a tower airport could have coincided with the issuance of the latest sectional and TCA charts (as was done when the TCA was expanded recently). It should not be expected that pilots would check NOTAMS every time they take a short flight in the local area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CHKFLT PRACTICES AT PREVIOUSLY NON TWR ARPT. TWR CURRENTLY IN OP.

Narrative: DEPARTED ARLINGTON ARPT (F54) AND FLEW TO SPINKS ARPT (FWS), APPROX 13 MI, TO PRACTICE LNDGS AS PART OF A CHKOUT IN AN SMA. THE SMA WAS NOT RADIO EQUIPPED AND SPINKS WAS DESIGNATED AN UNCTLED ARPT ON CURRENT SECTIONAL CHART (ISSUED JAN 1992) AND IN THE FACILITIES DIRECTORY. AFTER MAKING SEVERAL LNDGS, WE WERE INFORMED BY PERSONNEL ON THE GND THAT THERE WAS NOW A TWR AT THE ARPT AND THAT THE TWR HAD BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT US ON THE RADIO. AFTER RELAYING INFO TO THE TWR THAT WE WERE NOT AWARE OF THE CTL TWR, HAD NOT SEEN ANY LIGHT SIGNALS AND WERE NOT RADIO EQUIPPED, THEY ALLOWED US TO TKOF AND DEPART THE AREA. IT WOULD BE BETTER IF THE CHANGE TO A TWR ARPT COULD HAVE COINCIDED WITH THE ISSUANCE OF THE LATEST SECTIONAL AND TCA CHARTS (AS WAS DONE WHEN THE TCA WAS EXPANDED RECENTLY). IT SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED THAT PLTS WOULD CHK NOTAMS EVERY TIME THEY TAKE A SHORT FLT IN THE LCL AREA.

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.