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COLONIAL AIRLINES, INC.

TO: All Pilots and Flight Radio            Date: 1-6-48
      Navigators

From: Director of Communications

Subject: ATA Operations Memorandum No. 232

The following is a copy of ATA Operations Memorandum No. 232 and is for your guidance in the use of VHF with CAA Control Towers. Please comply.

"Recent field inspections by representatives of this office have revealed that a number of air carrier pilots are using airport utility frequencies (121.7 and 121.9 Mc) when calling control towers for landing clearance. Investigation of this procedure disclosed that it is used by pilots because they do not desire to retune their radio equipment to utilize the proper low or very high frequency channel. 

It was also disclosed that some air carriers do not utilize the airport utility channels available to them since they continue to contact control towers for taxi information and clearances on 3117.5 Kc or the channels available to them in the 118 Mc band.

As you know, the airport "ground control" frequency of 121.7 or 121.9 Mc is being installed in control towers to eliminate the frequency congestion caused by the numerous radio contacts between the tower and taxiing aircraft and the tower and airport utility vehicles, thus establishing a clear channel in the 118 Mc band for arriving and departing aircraft. All CAA towers equipped for service on 121.7 or 121.9 Mc are listed in the current Radio Facility Charts. Withholding the use of these frequencies by air carrier pilots together with their use for other than their originally intended purpose, tends to decrease the efficiency of the service rendered by our tower facilities. These comments are applicable, of course, only in those instances where the VHF frequencies mentioned are available for use by the pilots and the airport control towers."

EW/cew                                      E. Werzyn