Narrative:

Destin-fort walton beach airport (dts), located in the panhandle of fl, is in a high military traffic area and has special airspace restrictions. I am aware of the restrictions and I complied with them during my arrival to dts a few days earlier by contacting eglin approach prior to entry into the eglin/valparaiso terminal area. Upon departure from dts, I knew that I had to contact eglin approach for flight following out of their area but I was not aware I had to contact eglin while on the ground at dts. I incorrectly thought it was ok to get airborne and then immediately contact eglin for advisories, which I did. The WX was clear at the time and there were no traffic conflicts of any kind. When I contacted eglin approach (within 3 mins from takeoff), they had already identified to me and asked if I received a clearance prior to departure. I told them no. Eglin then advised me of the requirement to get a clearance and squawk code prior to takeoff from dts. Other factors: ASOS at dts does not warn pilots to contact eglin prior to departure. The color of red for dts on the sectional chart indicates a non twred airport. It also implies an uncontrolled field. Commercial charts airport and frequency manual advises pilot to contact eglin approach for clearance 'into' the valparaiso area but doesn't identify the need to contact them on the ground before departure. I initially tried to contact eglin immediately after takeoff on 133.0 (this frequency is listed in flight guide). After a min or two, I contacted them on 132.1. I was told that 133.0 has been decommissioned. No mention of any special requirements for dts was mentioned during my preflight briefing with flight service earlier that morning. No NOTAMS regarding approach/departure procedures were found. Internet site, a popular airport information source, does not mention any special requirements. Recommendations: use the dts ASOS to remind pilots of the requirement to obtain a clearance prior to departure. On sectional charts, use a color other than red for non twred airports that require clearance from a remote agency prior to departure. Perhaps the issuance of a permanent NOTAM for dts would help. Third party suppliers of airport information, such as commercial charts and internet sites, get their data from the FAA. They need to be advised of the special requirements for dts so they can publish and/or emphasize in their publications.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENTRY IS MADE TO THE EGLIN SPECIAL AIR TFC RULE AREA WITHOUT MAKING CONTACT BEFORE TKOF FROM DTS ARPT THAT IS LOCATED IN THE CLASS D AREA OF EGLIN.

Narrative: DESTIN-FORT WALTON BEACH ARPT (DTS), LOCATED IN THE PANHANDLE OF FL, IS IN A HIGH MIL TFC AREA AND HAS SPECIAL AIRSPACE RESTRICTIONS. I AM AWARE OF THE RESTRICTIONS AND I COMPLIED WITH THEM DURING MY ARRIVAL TO DTS A FEW DAYS EARLIER BY CONTACTING EGLIN APCH PRIOR TO ENTRY INTO THE EGLIN/VALPARAISO TERMINAL AREA. UPON DEP FROM DTS, I KNEW THAT I HAD TO CONTACT EGLIN APCH FOR FLT FOLLOWING OUT OF THEIR AREA BUT I WAS NOT AWARE I HAD TO CONTACT EGLIN WHILE ON THE GND AT DTS. I INCORRECTLY THOUGHT IT WAS OK TO GET AIRBORNE AND THEN IMMEDIATELY CONTACT EGLIN FOR ADVISORIES, WHICH I DID. THE WX WAS CLR AT THE TIME AND THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS OF ANY KIND. WHEN I CONTACTED EGLIN APCH (WITHIN 3 MINS FROM TKOF), THEY HAD ALREADY IDENTIFIED TO ME AND ASKED IF I RECEIVED A CLRNC PRIOR TO DEP. I TOLD THEM NO. EGLIN THEN ADVISED ME OF THE REQUIREMENT TO GET A CLRNC AND SQUAWK CODE PRIOR TO TKOF FROM DTS. OTHER FACTORS: ASOS AT DTS DOES NOT WARN PLTS TO CONTACT EGLIN PRIOR TO DEP. THE COLOR OF RED FOR DTS ON THE SECTIONAL CHART INDICATES A NON TWRED ARPT. IT ALSO IMPLIES AN UNCTLED FIELD. COMMERCIAL CHARTS ARPT AND FREQ MANUAL ADVISES PLT TO CONTACT EGLIN APCH FOR CLRNC 'INTO' THE VALPARAISO AREA BUT DOESN'T IDENTIFY THE NEED TO CONTACT THEM ON THE GND BEFORE DEP. I INITIALLY TRIED TO CONTACT EGLIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF ON 133.0 (THIS FREQ IS LISTED IN FLT GUIDE). AFTER A MIN OR TWO, I CONTACTED THEM ON 132.1. I WAS TOLD THAT 133.0 HAS BEEN DECOMMISSIONED. NO MENTION OF ANY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DTS WAS MENTIONED DURING MY PREFLT BRIEFING WITH FLT SVC EARLIER THAT MORNING. NO NOTAMS REGARDING APCH/DEP PROCS WERE FOUND. INTERNET SITE, A POPULAR ARPT INFO SOURCE, DOES NOT MENTION ANY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS. RECOMMENDATIONS: USE THE DTS ASOS TO REMIND PLTS OF THE REQUIREMENT TO OBTAIN A CLRNC PRIOR TO DEP. ON SECTIONAL CHARTS, USE A COLOR OTHER THAN RED FOR NON TWRED ARPTS THAT REQUIRE CLRNC FROM A REMOTE AGENCY PRIOR TO DEP. PERHAPS THE ISSUANCE OF A PERMANENT NOTAM FOR DTS WOULD HELP. THIRD PARTY SUPPLIERS OF ARPT INFO, SUCH AS COMMERCIAL CHARTS AND INTERNET SITES, GET THEIR DATA FROM THE FAA. THEY NEED TO BE ADVISED OF THE SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DTS SO THEY CAN PUBLISH AND/OR EMPHASIZE IN THEIR PUBLICATIONS.

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.