Narrative:

On sep/xa/99, while returning from a cross country trip with a student, I experienced what I believe may be a situation that could lead to a compromise in safety in the jacksonville area. For the last several months, the news media has carried stories concerning the shutdown of cecil field (nzc). In fact, they actually filmed the last of the airplanes departing cecil for their new home base. It is our understanding all aviation activity has been suspended and the facility is under consideration by various non aviation related entities. On the return leg of our cross country, we encountered cloud coverage. We attempted to contact nzc on several occasions to request a clearance to fly through their airspace at 2500 ft, but received no response. Clouds to the north and south prevented us from diverting, so we again attempted the radio contact and again received no response. With the aid of a GPS, we attempted to circumvent the airspace. While I felt we had successfully avoided a violation of the class D airspace, when we arrived at craig field, we were advised to contact the cecil field tower. My primary concern is that most jacksonville pilots are under the impression that all operations at cecil field have been suspended. So, if we don't get a response on the radio (and we confirm our radio is working) we assume they have. Now, I know that this belief is not justified as long as the sectional charts show the class D airspace. However, for the safety of all pilots, the tower personnel at cecil field need to diligently monitor their frequencys and if they are not going to do that, NOTAMS should be issued to those flying in their immediate vicinity.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 INSTRUCTOR PLT AND STUDENT FLY TOO CLOSE TO THE CLASS D AIRSPACE OF NZC, FL.

Narrative: ON SEP/XA/99, WHILE RETURNING FROM A XCOUNTRY TRIP WITH A STUDENT, I EXPERIENCED WHAT I BELIEVE MAY BE A SIT THAT COULD LEAD TO A COMPROMISE IN SAFETY IN THE JACKSONVILLE AREA. FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE NEWS MEDIA HAS CARRIED STORIES CONCERNING THE SHUTDOWN OF CECIL FIELD (NZC). IN FACT, THEY ACTUALLY FILMED THE LAST OF THE AIRPLANES DEPARTING CECIL FOR THEIR NEW HOME BASE. IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING ALL AVIATION ACTIVITY HAS BEEN SUSPENDED AND THE FACILITY IS UNDER CONSIDERATION BY VARIOUS NON AVIATION RELATED ENTITIES. ON THE RETURN LEG OF OUR XCOUNTRY, WE ENCOUNTERED CLOUD COVERAGE. WE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT NZC ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO REQUEST A CLRNC TO FLY THROUGH THEIR AIRSPACE AT 2500 FT, BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. CLOUDS TO THE N AND S PREVENTED US FROM DIVERTING, SO WE AGAIN ATTEMPTED THE RADIO CONTACT AND AGAIN RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. WITH THE AID OF A GPS, WE ATTEMPTED TO CIRCUMVENT THE AIRSPACE. WHILE I FELT WE HAD SUCCESSFULLY AVOIDED A VIOLATION OF THE CLASS D AIRSPACE, WHEN WE ARRIVED AT CRAIG FIELD, WE WERE ADVISED TO CONTACT THE CECIL FIELD TWR. MY PRIMARY CONCERN IS THAT MOST JACKSONVILLE PLTS ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT ALL OPS AT CECIL FIELD HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED. SO, IF WE DON'T GET A RESPONSE ON THE RADIO (AND WE CONFIRM OUR RADIO IS WORKING) WE ASSUME THEY HAVE. NOW, I KNOW THAT THIS BELIEF IS NOT JUSTIFIED AS LONG AS THE SECTIONAL CHARTS SHOW THE CLASS D AIRSPACE. HOWEVER, FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL PLTS, THE TWR PERSONNEL AT CECIL FIELD NEED TO DILIGENTLY MONITOR THEIR FREQS AND IF THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT, NOTAMS SHOULD BE ISSUED TO THOSE FLYING IN THEIR IMMEDIATE VICINITY.

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.