[mhcasey]

So basically it's like class D, except extremely dangerous because during the day, vis can be 1SM with planes from 2 major flight schools and stuck-gear planes from a cheap multi outfit all buzzing around in the pattern (GKY)? Why the heck not just make it class D? Also, why doesn't GKY have the tower freq on the sectional, but FWS does?

The last time I went up to GKY I had heard the tower was open, but was VFR and without approach plates. I guess ASOS will tell you the tower freq, but every once in a while I'm lazy when the weather is really good and just listen for the winds/alt setting (a bad habit I will drop after this discussion). Anyway, I always get flight following, but a guy buzzing in below class B without flight following might not have any idea there's a tower there! I just don't get it. Was the tower not open before September 28, '06? Also, does the FAA not put tower freqs, etc. on sectionals that are scheduled to open during the next sectional validity period?

Also, the last time I was at GKY, there was a huge construction crane just east of final approach for 16 that the tower had no idea about...I think it was about 300 feet high - maybe not a factor if you can fly anything close to a decent pattern, but I would have thought the tower would have been notified by someone other than the pilots of the aircraft preceding us. Maybe class G tower don't find out about crucial information that class D towers would.

Mind boggling...

*Edit: The tower freq is in the AFD, so I guess even the guy buzzing in below class B should know there's a tower. I still think the airport should be blue on the sectional, though.