Airport Advisory Areas?

FutrPilot

FutrPilot

New Member
Hey just curious,

An airport advisory area is a flight service station on an airport that has a part time tower operation, when the tower is closed they provide information such as planes in the pattern, wind direction, landing runways etc. I live in so cal. and the closest FSS is Hawthorne. and Hawthorne is a part time airport. does that make Hawthorne FSS an Airport Advisory Area, tried to look in the current A/FD but didn't see anything. does anyone know if this still exists?.......... thanks
 
I've never heard of that kind of FSS. A FSS provides weather and flight plan filing but they are not ATC. When your are inbound to an aiport, you just ask on the CTAF for an airport advisory. I'm not sure if towered airports have this after they are closed however.

An airport advisory is what you ask for when you go to an uncontrolled field. Somebody inside will give you the winds, favoring runway, if there are any other aircraft in the pattern, etc. They do not provide any ATC service or spacing or anything like that.
 
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Hey just curious,

An airport advisory area is a flight service station on an airport that has a part time tower operation, when the tower is closed they provide information such as planes in the pattern, wind direction, landing runways etc. I live in so cal. and the closest FSS is Hawthorne. and Hawthorne is a part time airport. does that make Hawthorne FSS an Airport Advisory Area, tried to look in the current A/FD but didn't see anything. does anyone know if this still exists?.......... thanks

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You are correct. It's actually called an LAA, or Local Airport Advisory. They're not widely known about, so unless you train out of an airport with an FSS on field or have a really good instructor, most people have no clue about them. Their services are exactly like what you said... weather, winds, traffic, etc. They don't provice separation, nor do the clear you to do anything.... they just help you out by recommending things and informing you of current airport information. As for if they still exist... they do indeed. Take a look on your sectional chart... there should be some fine print somewhere talking about LAA's. I'm actually quite surprised the AFD didn't mention anything... I'll take a look today and let you know what I find.
 
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Hey just curious,

An airport advisory area is a flight service station on an airport that has a part time tower operation, when the tower is closed they provide information such as planes in the pattern, wind direction, landing runways etc. I live in so cal. and the closest FSS is Hawthorne. and Hawthorne is a part time airport. does that make Hawthorne FSS an Airport Advisory Area, tried to look in the current A/FD but didn't see anything. does anyone know if this still exists?.......... thanks

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You are correct. It's actually called an LAA, or Local Airport Advisory. They're not widely known about, so unless you train out of an airport with an FSS on field or have a really good instructor, most people have no clue about them. Their services are exactly like what you said... weather, winds, traffic, etc. They don't provice separation, nor do the clear you to do anything.... they just help you out by recommending things and informing you of current airport information. As for if they still exist... they do indeed. Take a look on your sectional chart... there should be some fine print somewhere talking about LAA's. I'm actually quite surprised the AFD didn't mention anything... I'll take a look today and let you know what I find.

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They're out there, but unfortunately not as common as they once used to be when everything began going from FSS to AFSS. Used that service going into Imperial, California one day, back when there was a manned FSS there.
 
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I've never heard of that kind of FSS. A FSS provides weather and flight plan filing but they are not ATC. When your are inbound to an aiport, you just ask on the CTAF for an airport advisory. I'm not sure if towered airports have this after they are closed however.

An airport advisory is what you ask for when you go to an uncontrolled field. Somebody inside will give you the winds, favoring runway, if there are any other aircraft in the pattern, etc. They do not provide any ATC service or spacing or anything like that.

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LOL.......most pilots these days haven't heard of this. In it's widespread use, it was before most of their's time!
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I've never heard of that kind of FSS.

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Read that AIM thingy...it'll tell you all about it....
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It's been many years since I have flown into Hawthorne. But if I remember correctly when they relocated the FSS there, the deal was that they would NOT do advisories. Don't know if this still holds as that was 15 yrs ago, but if it is still that way that might explain the lack of information in the A/FD.
 
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