Question on Unicom usage?

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b52hbuff

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I was preparing for an airshow at Salinas Municipal Airport, KSNS.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KSNS

As I was looking at the Airnav entry, I see that the UNICOM frequency is listed as 122.95. I also see one of the FBO's also uses Unicom. So I go to the database entry:
Salinas Municipal (SNS) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

The policy of the database is not to duplicate frequencies. So the challenge when splitting the hair is to pick the best category. My question for the aviation enthusiasts, should 122.95 be listed as part of 'Airline Operations' because of the FBO usage? Or should it be listed as part of 'Airfield Operations' since it is a UNICOM frequency?
 

pilotman1260

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I would list it under airfield operations and note that it is the FBO frequency,since generally only the GA aircraft and transient inbound will use it and not airlines.
 
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DaveNF2G

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It depends on whether the FBO services any scheduled carriers.

I'm not sure how this would constitute "duplication" of frequencies in any event. A single frequency with multiple users is not a "duplicate" listing if it shows up under each user.
 

ericcarlson

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I don't believe 122.95 would be used for anything ATC-related at a full-time controlled airport. If it is used as an FBO contact frequency, which is not uncommon, then it should be listed as an FBO frequency. If it is used for ATC then I would put it under ATC but it should not be listed multiple times on the same airport page.
 

b52hbuff

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I don't believe 122.95 would be used for anything ATC-related at a full-time controlled airport. If it is used as an FBO contact frequency, which is not uncommon, then it should be listed as an FBO frequency. If it is used for ATC then I would put it under ATC but it should not be listed multiple times on the same airport page.

Let's go back to the example that kicked this off:
AirNav: KSNS - Salinas Municipal Airport
CTAF: 119.4
UNICOM: 122.95
SALINAS TOWER: 119.4 239.3 [0600-1900 OCT-MAR; 0500-1900 APR-SEP]

...and then at the bottom of the page, it shows the FBO JetWest uses 122.95. So the question for the pilots is what is the usage for 122.95? Is it used when the tower is closed?
 
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DaveNF2G

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FAA regs specify how frequencies should be used, not how they are used at specific locations.

For a particular airport where a FBO is using 122.95, the frequency is not an ATC channel.
 

N9JIG

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122.950 is used as a Unicom frequency at almost all controlled airports in the USA. It is not to be used for ATC, but rather to facilitate various operations on and around the airfield, such as arranging rental cars for passengers, fuel for aircraft etc.

ATC operations are on the Tower channel(s) when the tower is operational and for those airports that the tower is not 24/7, they usually use the Tower frequency as the CTAF. This operates much like the Unicom at uncontrolled airports, aircraft guide themselves in by announcing their intentions and coordinating operations among themselves.
 
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