UNICOM
Encyclopedia
Universal Communications or as known by its abbreviation, UNICOM, is an air-ground communication facility operated by a private agency to provide advisory service at uncontrolled aerodromes and airports
.
traffic and where no control tower
is presently active. UNICOM stations typically use a single communications frequency. Some fields always offer UNICOM service while others revert to UNICOM procedures only during hours when the control tower is closed.
In this system or protocol, aircraft may call a non-government ground station to make announcements of their intentions. In some cases, the ground station is not staffed. If no one is staffing the ground station, pilots broadcast their location and intentions over the UNICOM channel. When the ground station is closed this is done without an acknowledgement.
When a part-time UNICOM station is located on the same airport as a part-time control tower, the same frequency will be used by both ground stations to avoid confusion.
, radio frequencies made available by the Federal Communications Commission for use as UNICOM are:
, the radio frequencies assigned for UNICOM are:
, the radio frequency assigned by CASA for use as UNICOM is:
Non-towered airport
A non-towered airport, sometimes referred to as an uncontrolled airport, is an airport with no operating tower, or air traffic control unit...
.
Description
UNICOM is employed at airports with a low volume of general aviationGeneral aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
traffic and where no control tower
Control tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
is presently active. UNICOM stations typically use a single communications frequency. Some fields always offer UNICOM service while others revert to UNICOM procedures only during hours when the control tower is closed.
In this system or protocol, aircraft may call a non-government ground station to make announcements of their intentions. In some cases, the ground station is not staffed. If no one is staffing the ground station, pilots broadcast their location and intentions over the UNICOM channel. When the ground station is closed this is done without an acknowledgement.
When a part-time UNICOM station is located on the same airport as a part-time control tower, the same frequency will be used by both ground stations to avoid confusion.
USA
In the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, radio frequencies made available by the Federal Communications Commission for use as UNICOM are:
- 122.700 MHz
- 122.725 MHz
- 122.800 MHz
- 122.950 MHz
- 122.975 MHz
- 123.000 MHz
- 123.050 MHz
- 123.075 MHz
Canada
In CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the radio frequencies assigned for UNICOM are:
- 122.700 MHz
- 122.725 MHz
- 122.750 MHz
- 122.775 MHz
- 122.800 MHz
- 122.825 MHz
- 122.950 MHz
- 123.000 MHz
- 123.300 MHz
- 123.350 MHz
- 123.500 MHz
Australia
In AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the radio frequency assigned by CASA for use as UNICOM is:
- 126.700 MHz