Narrative:

The evening before departure I requested and received a briefing for an IFR flight from 49J (hilton head) to 2i4 (bolton field columbus, oh). I received an updated winds aloft report from FSS the morning of the flight. Approximately 1/2 hour before the flight I filed an IFR flight plan with FSS. At no time during any of the 3 phone conversations with FSS was I advised that the departure airport which is an uncontrolled airport had a temporary tower for the wkend due to a special event. There was no notice of the temporary tower on AWOS, in my approach charts or chart NOTAMS. There was no signage before the taxiway indicating a temporary tower. I listened to AWOS and taxied to the acting runway. I attempted to pick up my IFR clearance from clearance delivery (savannah) but received no response. Because the WX was VFR I decided to depart VFR and pick up my IFR clearance after departure. I switched to the unicom frequency, advised traffic of my departure on runway 21 and my intention to depart northbound. There was no response on unicom. As I took the active runway I monitored a commuter on the taxiway 'requesting frequencys' on unicom. A response indicated a ground and tower frequency. I immediately aborted the takeoff and confirmed on unicom that there was a temporary tower. Once the response was in the affirmative, I contacted the tower as I pulled off the runway. Tower advised to pick up my IFR from ground control. I did so, taxied back to the active, called tower and was cleared for takeoff. I suggest that FSS, chart services and clear, conspicuous airport signage advise pilots when an uncontrolled airport is temporarily a controlled airport. A large sign before the taxiway with the notice and frequencys would have prevented this!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PART TIME ATCT SET UP IN TEMPORARY FLT RESTR AREA AT 49J. NOTAM INFO NOT GIVEN TO PLT PRIOR TO DEP. UNAUTH RWY ENTRY. INFO DISSEMINATION PROC. NOTE: THE AFD DOES NOT LIST THE 'DIRECT' PHONE NUMBER FOR AND FSS.

Narrative: THE EVENING BEFORE DEP I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A BRIEFING FOR AN IFR FLT FROM 49J (HILTON HEAD) TO 2I4 (BOLTON FIELD COLUMBUS, OH). I RECEIVED AN UPDATED WINDS ALOFT RPT FROM FSS THE MORNING OF THE FLT. APPROX 1/2 HR BEFORE THE FLT I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH FSS. AT NO TIME DURING ANY OF THE 3 PHONE CONVERSATIONS WITH FSS WAS I ADVISED THAT THE DEP ARPT WHICH IS AN UNCTLED ARPT HAD A TEMPORARY TWR FOR THE WKEND DUE TO A SPECIAL EVENT. THERE WAS NO NOTICE OF THE TEMPORARY TWR ON AWOS, IN MY APCH CHARTS OR CHART NOTAMS. THERE WAS NO SIGNAGE BEFORE THE TXWY INDICATING A TEMPORARY TWR. I LISTENED TO AWOS AND TAXIED TO THE ACTING RWY. I ATTEMPTED TO PICK UP MY IFR CLRNC FROM CLRNC DELIVERY (SAVANNAH) BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. BECAUSE THE WX WAS VFR I DECIDED TO DEPART VFR AND PICK UP MY IFR CLRNC AFTER DEP. I SWITCHED TO THE UNICOM FREQ, ADVISED TFC OF MY DEP ON RWY 21 AND MY INTENTION TO DEPART NBOUND. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE ON UNICOM. AS I TOOK THE ACTIVE RWY I MONITORED A COMMUTER ON THE TXWY 'REQUESTING FREQS' ON UNICOM. A RESPONSE INDICATED A GND AND TWR FREQ. I IMMEDIATELY ABORTED THE TKOF AND CONFIRMED ON UNICOM THAT THERE WAS A TEMPORARY TWR. ONCE THE RESPONSE WAS IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, I CONTACTED THE TWR AS I PULLED OFF THE RWY. TWR ADVISED TO PICK UP MY IFR FROM GND CTL. I DID SO, TAXIED BACK TO THE ACTIVE, CALLED TWR AND WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. I SUGGEST THAT FSS, CHART SVCS AND CLR, CONSPICUOUS ARPT SIGNAGE ADVISE PLTS WHEN AN UNCTLED ARPT IS TEMPORARILY A CONTROLLED ARPT. A LARGE SIGN BEFORE THE TXWY WITH THE NOTICE AND FREQS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS!

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.