UNICOM vs CTAF: Who You Are Really Talking To

Two words that confuse new pilots at non-towered fields — untangled, with what to say to each. · 5 min read

The very first time you fly into a non-towered airport, the terminology can feel like a riddle: the chart lists a "CTAF," someone on frequency mentions "UNICOM," and often they are the exact same number. It is much simpler than it looks. At a field with no control tower, a single frequency does two different jobs, and the confusion is really just about who you are talking to at any given moment. Once you know which hat you are wearing on each call, everything clicks.

CTAF — talking to other pilots

CTAF stands for Common Traffic Advisory Frequency. It is the frequency pilots use to self-announce their position and intentions to each other so everyone can see and avoid. There is no controller; nobody "answers" or clears you. You are simply broadcasting to whoever else is in the area. The standard format is to address the airport by name at both the start and end of the call, so pilots half-listening know which field you mean:

🎙 You say “Watsonville traffic, Skyhawk Five-Two-Kilo, turning left base Runway two-zero, Watsonville.”

Addressed to "traffic" — you are announcing to other pilots, not requesting anything.

You self-announce at each key point — taxiing, departing, entering the pattern, on each leg, and clearing the runway — always to "traffic." No one has to reply for the call to have done its job.

UNICOM — talking to the airport

UNICOM is a non-ATC ground station — usually the FBO or airport office — that you can actually call and expect a person to answer. You use it for services: fuel, the current wind and favored runway, or to request an airport advisory. Very often UNICOM and CTAF are the same frequency, which is the whole source of the confusion. The number is the same; what changes is who you address:

🎙 You say “Watsonville UNICOM, Skyhawk Five-Two-Kilo, ten miles south, landing Watsonville, request airport advisory.”

Addressed to "UNICOM" — you want a response from the ground station.

A UNICOM operator is not a controller and cannot clear you to do anything — but they can tell you the wind, which runway others are using, and whether there is traffic they know about. It is a courtesy service, so a friendly, brief request goes a long way.

💡 Simple rule: when you are announcing to other pilots for see-and-avoid, say "[airport] traffic." When you want a service or advisory from the ground station, say "[airport] UNICOM." Same radio, same number, different audience.

💡 The only way this becomes automatic is saying it out loud, dozens of times, before you key a live mic. That is exactly what ATCpal is for — practice both non-towered call types. Practice it free at atcpal.app.

Phraseology sourced from the FAA Aeronautical Information Manual (Change 3, effective 9 July 2026) and the Pilot/Controller Glossary. Check the AIM · Last reviewed 13 August 2026.

Practice this call out loud — free

Try a call