As standard operating practice, all inbound and local traffic approaching or near an airport without a control tower should continuously monitor the appropriate facility from a distance of

As standard operating practice, all inbound and local traffic approaching or near an airport without a control tower should continuously monitor the appropriate facility from a distance of

• A. 5 miles
• B. 15 miles
• C. 10 miles
• D. 20 miles

Answer: (C)

When there’s no control tower, pilots and drone operators rely on the airport’s advisory frequency (CTAF/UNICOM) to stay aware of other traffic. Monitoring that frequency from about ten miles out gives you a practical warning window to hear inbound or pattern traffic, assess potential conflicts, and adjust your course or altitude before you get close to the airspace. Ten miles strikes a balance: it’s far enough to detect traffic early, but not so far that you’re monitoring irrelevant chatter. Five miles could leave you with less time to react, while fifteen or twenty miles isn’t typically necessary for safe deconfliction and can complicate awareness.

When there’s no control tower, pilots and drone operators rely on the airport’s advisory frequency (CTAF/UNICOM) to stay aware of other traffic. Monitoring that frequency from about ten miles out gives you a practical warning window to hear inbound or pattern traffic, assess potential conflicts, and adjust your course or altitude before you get close to the airspace. Ten miles strikes a balance: it’s far enough to detect traffic early, but not so far that you’re monitoring irrelevant chatter. Five miles could leave you with less time to react, while fifteen or twenty miles isn’t typically necessary for safe deconfliction and can complicate awareness.