Title 47

SECTION 87.213

87.213 Scope of service.

§ 87.213 Scope of service.

(a) An aeronautical advisory station (unicom) must provide service to any aircraft station upon request and without discrimination. A unicom must provide impartial information concerning available ground services.

(b)(1) Unicom transmissions must be limited to the necessities of safe and expeditious operation of aircraft such as condition of runways, types of fuel available, wind conditions, weather information, dispatching, or other necessary information. At any airport at which a control tower, control tower remote communications outlet station (RCO) or FAA flight service station is located, unicoms must not transmit information pertaining to the conditions of runways, wind conditions, or weather information during the hours of operation of the control tower, RCO or FAA service station.

(2) On a secondary basis, unicoms may transmit communications which pertain to the efficient portal-to-portal transit of an aircraft, such as requests for ground transportation, food or lodging.

(3) Communications between unicoms and air carrier must be limited to the necessities of safety of life and property.

(4) Unicoms may communicate with aeronautical utility stations and ground vehicles concerning runway conditions and safety hazards on the airport when neither a control tower nor FAA flight service station is in operation.

(c) Unicoms must not be used for air traffic control (ATC) purposes other than to relay ATC information between the pilot and air traffic controller. Relaying of ATC information is limited to the following:

(1) Revisions of proposed departure time;

(2) Takeoff, arrival or flight plan cancellation time;

(3) ATC clearances, provided a letter of agreement is obtained from the FAA by the licensee of the unicom.

[53 FR 28940, Aug. 1, 1988, as amended at 55 FR 30464, July 26, 1990]

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