Narrative:

On arriving aex, I reported entering left downwind runway 14 to the control tower. Aex tower cleared me to extend downwind 'I will call your base.' I advised aex tower, which has no radar, that 'I will call my base.' I extended downwind, cleared for traffic, then turned base and advised tower. Experience has shown me that a non radar tower calling 'base' for aircraft leads to dangerous conflicts. The distance from tower to aircraft is commonly 4 mi or more when tower attempts to sequence aircraft visually. It also leads to errors in sequencing and slowing of traffic due to extended patterns. This often takes single engine aircraft over unsuitable terrain, increasing hazards in the event of engine failure. 'I'll call your base' by VFR tower controllers is unsafe, inefficient, and unauthorized by far 7110.8. 'I'll call your base' should not be used.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE ON DOWNWIND, A C310 PLT WITH A CTLR BACKGROUND ADVISES AEX LCL CTLR THAT HE WILL CALL HIS OWN BASE LEG. HE REFUSED TO ALLOW THE TWR TO 'CALL HIS BASE' FOR HIM, SAYING IT WAS NOT AN AUTH PROC ACCORDING TO THE CTLR'S HANDBOOK.

Narrative: ON ARRIVING AEX, I RPTED ENTERING L DOWNWIND RWY 14 TO THE CTL TWR. AEX TWR CLRED ME TO EXTEND DOWNWIND 'I WILL CALL YOUR BASE.' I ADVISED AEX TWR, WHICH HAS NO RADAR, THAT 'I WILL CALL MY BASE.' I EXTENDED DOWNWIND, CLRED FOR TFC, THEN TURNED BASE AND ADVISED TWR. EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN ME THAT A NON RADAR TWR CALLING 'BASE' FOR ACFT LEADS TO DANGEROUS CONFLICTS. THE DISTANCE FROM TWR TO ACFT IS COMMONLY 4 MI OR MORE WHEN TWR ATTEMPTS TO SEQUENCE ACFT VISUALLY. IT ALSO LEADS TO ERRORS IN SEQUENCING AND SLOWING OF TFC DUE TO EXTENDED PATTERNS. THIS OFTEN TAKES SINGLE ENG ACFT OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN, INCREASING HAZARDS IN THE EVENT OF ENG FAILURE. 'I'LL CALL YOUR BASE' BY VFR TWR CTLRS IS UNSAFE, INEFFICIENT, AND UNAUTH BY FAR 7110.8. 'I'LL CALL YOUR BASE' SHOULD NOT BE USED.

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.