The traffic pattern was busy as I maneuvered for a downwind entry. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon with light winds and excellent visibility. There were lots of weekend flyers buzzing around Miami County Airport (K81), a small but accommodating uncontrolled airport in northeast Kansas. The Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) was congested. Transmissions were being blocked and garbles and squeals were coming through my headset frequently as I searched for traffic outside. As with most CTAF or unicom frequencies, Miami County shares their advisory frequency with several other nearby uncontrolled airports. It was difficult to get a word in to broadcast my position and intentions as I turned base then final. Interjected between the routine traffic calls on the frequency was a conversation between two gentlemen discussing their plans for the weekend. Anytime these individuals heard free air time they'd key up and resume their conversation, and evidently they had a lot to say. After a couple minutes of being briefed on Bob's plans for Sunday I butted in and requested they discontinue their conversation as aircraft were already struggling for air time.
The behavior of these gentlemen was rude, inconsiderate, irresponsible, and improper. I was amazed by their complete disregard for the needs of other pilots on the frequency who were attempting to use the CTAF properly to reduce the chance of a mid-air collision or runway incursion. The CTAF is not a chat line. It is a frequency to be used for official business only to allow pilots operating in the vicinity of one another to communicate and keep themselves separated. It is never okay to use a CTAF for any other purpose. Pilots who engage in personal conversation over a CTAF are displaying a fundamental inability to separate business from personal recreation in their mind, even when the frequency is dead because aircraft operating in the vicinity of an airport should be utilizing sterile cockpit procedures and any chit-chat must be suspended until the aircraft is parked and shutdown. Save the banter for the ground. It is irresponsible and foolish to steal valuable air time away from safety-conscious pilots who are trying to maintain safety during some of the riskiest phases of flight (takeoff and landing).
The next time you're flying in the vicinity of an uncontrolled airport and utilizing a CTAF be sure to ask those chatty knuckleheads to zip it (perhaps in nicer words) so that you can conduct business. Other pilots listening will appreciate your effort to sterilize the frequency. If they won't quiet down, do your best to obtain their N-number and report them to the FAA after you land. I perceive this as an urgent matter. This type of unprofessionalism is completely unacceptable, and CTAFs lack the oversight that air traffic control frequencies have so it's up to us, the users of the system, to maintain its integrity. Daytime visual meteorological conditions (VMC) in the vicinity of an airport has long been the area where most mid-air collisions occur. The proper use of a CTAF in the areas where these accidents are concentrated greatly reduces the risk of bumping into another aircraft, but if the frequency is tied up with useless chatter about Ted's new Harley the system fails. Those of us with a head on top of our shoulders are then subjected to increased risk, and that's not acceptable.
I once watched an Internet video of a Bonanza landing at Telluride Airport (TEX) in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Telluride is a busy airport with a fair mix of transient GA traffic and regional airline traffic. It has only one runway which can typically only be used one-way, land east, takeoff west due to high terrain immediately east of the field. The pattern typically has a concentration of traffic south through west of the runway which contributes to the congestion when the airport gets busy. I watched as the Bonanza entered the pattern and maneuvered for landing while communicating with other aircraft in the area including a jet the Bonanza was to follow. Suddenly someone from the FBO interrupted the communications and began interrogating the Bonanza pilot about how long he would be on the ramp, how much fuel he needed, and other non-essential information. Unfortunately, the Bonanza pilot answered the questions instead of politely informing the FBO person that he'd discuss that after he got on the ground. The FBO person then further tied up the frequency by asking other aircraft in the pattern the same line of questions. The frequency became over-congested and the efficiency of the CTAF system was significantly compromised. I was surprised and disappointed that not a single pilot on the frequency asked this non-pilot salesman to pipe down and save his business for the ramp. His questions had nothing to do with safety of flight or collision avoidance. They were non-essential conversation about a business-related subject which had no business interrupting aircraft-to-aircraft collision avoidance transmissions. The CTAF is not intended to be used this way, and requesting a pilot to divert his attention away from maneuvering in complex terrain during a high risk and high workload phase of flight in order to discuss how long he'll be on the ramp (if he makes it there) is completely irresponsible and inappropriate.
As pilots our duty is to maintain safety of flight at all times. This includes using CTAFs properly and requesting those who are not using them properly to discontinue their actions. Is this strict? Yes, it certainly is. Flying demands strict discipline. If that's not up your alley, change your hobby. Conducting yourself appropriately on a CTAF is just one way of demonstrating your professionalism and discipline as well as your regard for other pilots and the innocent folks below.
