Narrative:

After completing my pre takeoff check on the PA-32 aircraft in use, I was holding short of the runway in use at the block island airport preparing for back-taxi on the runway as the only other means in via the grass and frequently used. Back-taxi is about 500 ft. There were many aircraft in the pattern in all phases of the pattern and I requested permission from the aircraft in front of me (C-206) to follow them back on the back-taxi for departure. Permission was granted via unicom frequency (123.0) and I commenced back-taxi accordingly. The C-206 aircraft in front of me departed and once departed I began my takeoff roll for departure. The safety of the departure was never in doubt and maneuver was executed in a professional manner. The only other manner to depart block island on a busy wkend (if you do not wish to back- taxi on the grass) is to depart at the intersection which I do not feel is safe or professional. Block island needs a hard surface taxiway to full length on runway 10 (as they have a runway 28). Also, the unicom frequency is so congested with the operations personnel giving parking and taxi instruction to pilots on the ground that position reports into and in the pattern are difficult. A separate parking frequency should be issued for the block island airport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states this is an island airport and attracts many tourists, especially in the summer months. He works for a company that services the island with scheduled flts. The biggest problem is the unicom becoming so involved with parking instructions/directions that proper position reports when entering or leaving the pattern are impossible. He feels there should be a second unicom frequency for parking information. His normal procedure is to call 10 mi out, 5 mi out, then give position reports at all stages of the pattern. It simply doesn't work at block island. The other problem as indicated is the lack of taxiway to runway 10. The grass is dangerous to propellers and too close to the runway. Last yr a malibu lost control on approach and almost slammed into an aircraft back-taxiing on the grass. A paved or graveled taxiway to runway 10 as there is for runway 28 would solve the problem. He indicated he has asked his company to contact the state airport commission.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI BACK TAXIES ON RWY BEHIND AN SMA BUT WITH SMA PLT PERMISSION.

Narrative: AFTER COMPLETING MY PRE TKOF CHK ON THE PA-32 ACFT IN USE, I WAS HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY IN USE AT THE BLOCK ISLAND ARPT PREPARING FOR BACK-TAXI ON THE RWY AS THE ONLY OTHER MEANS IN VIA THE GRASS AND FREQUENTLY USED. BACK-TAXI IS ABOUT 500 FT. THERE WERE MANY ACFT IN THE PATTERN IN ALL PHASES OF THE PATTERN AND I REQUESTED PERMISSION FROM THE ACFT IN FRONT OF ME (C-206) TO FOLLOW THEM BACK ON THE BACK-TAXI FOR DEP. PERMISSION WAS GRANTED VIA UNICOM FREQ (123.0) AND I COMMENCED BACK-TAXI ACCORDINGLY. THE C-206 ACFT IN FRONT OF ME DEPARTED AND ONCE DEPARTED I BEGAN MY TKOF ROLL FOR DEP. THE SAFETY OF THE DEP WAS NEVER IN DOUBT AND MANEUVER WAS EXECUTED IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER. THE ONLY OTHER MANNER TO DEPART BLOCK ISLAND ON A BUSY WKEND (IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BACK- TAXI ON THE GRASS) IS TO DEPART AT THE INTXN WHICH I DO NOT FEEL IS SAFE OR PROFESSIONAL. BLOCK ISLAND NEEDS A HARD SURFACE TXWY TO FULL LENGTH ON RWY 10 (AS THEY HAVE A RWY 28). ALSO, THE UNICOM FREQ IS SO CONGESTED WITH THE OPS PERSONNEL GIVING PARKING AND TAXI INSTRUCTION TO PLTS ON THE GND THAT POS RPTS INTO AND IN THE PATTERN ARE DIFFICULT. A SEPARATE PARKING FREQ SHOULD BE ISSUED FOR THE BLOCK ISLAND ARPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THIS IS AN ISLAND ARPT AND ATTRACTS MANY TOURISTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS. HE WORKS FOR A COMPANY THAT SVCS THE ISLAND WITH SCHEDULED FLTS. THE BIGGEST PROB IS THE UNICOM BECOMING SO INVOLVED WITH PARKING INSTRUCTIONS/DIRECTIONS THAT PROPER POS RPTS WHEN ENTERING OR LEAVING THE PATTERN ARE IMPOSSIBLE. HE FEELS THERE SHOULD BE A SECOND UNICOM FREQ FOR PARKING INFO. HIS NORMAL PROC IS TO CALL 10 MI OUT, 5 MI OUT, THEN GIVE POS RPTS AT ALL STAGES OF THE PATTERN. IT SIMPLY DOESN'T WORK AT BLOCK ISLAND. THE OTHER PROB AS INDICATED IS THE LACK OF TXWY TO RWY 10. THE GRASS IS DANGEROUS TO PROPS AND TOO CLOSE TO THE RWY. LAST YR A MALIBU LOST CTL ON APCH AND ALMOST SLAMMED INTO AN ACFT BACK-TAXIING ON THE GRASS. A PAVED OR GRAVELED TXWY TO RWY 10 AS THERE IS FOR RWY 28 WOULD SOLVE THE PROB. HE INDICATED HE HAS ASKED HIS COMPANY TO CONTACT THE STATE ARPT COMMISSION.

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.