Non-towered · Class G at the surface

Barter Island (PABA) radio calls

Barter Island, AKICAO PABA · FAA BTI

Barter Island is a non-towered airport in Barter Island, AK. Nobody clears you to do anything: you self-announce on the CTAF, 122.8, as Barter Island Traffic, with the airport name at the start and end of each call.

No Class B, C, D or E surface area is designated for this airport in the FAA data, so the airspace at the surface is Class G.

Frequencies

CTAFBarter Island Traffic122.8

Airport

Runways
07 · 25
Elevation
55 ft
Position
70.113, -143.654

Non-towered airport: self-announce on the CTAF

Sample calls at PABA

Barter Island has no operating control tower. Every call below goes out on the CTAF, 122.8, to the other aircraft, not to a controller. The runway shown is 07; use whichever runway the wind and the traffic dictate on the day.

The aircraft is the AIM’s own example, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot; the squawk codes, altitudes and headings are illustrative. Frequencies, station names and runway numbers are this airport’s, from the FAA data.

  1. Tune 122.8. Nobody clears you; you announce and you listen. The airport name goes at the start and the end of every call, and the runway is always a number, never "the active" (AIM 4-1-9 g 8).
  2. YouBarter Island traffic, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, taxiing to runway zero seven, Barter Island.
  3. YouBarter Island traffic, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, departing runway zero seven, departing the pattern to the north, Barter Island.
  4. Announce until you are about 10 miles out; on the way back, start announcing at 10 miles (AIM 4-1-9 c 1, TBL 4-1-1).
  5. YouBarter Island traffic, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, one zero miles south, two thousand five hundred, landing Barter Island, Barter Island.
  6. YouBarter Island traffic, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, entering left downwind runway zero seven, full stop, Barter Island.
  7. YouBarter Island traffic, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, left base runway zero seven, Barter Island.
  8. YouBarter Island traffic, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, final runway zero seven, full stop, Barter Island.
  9. YouBarter Island traffic, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, clear of runway zero seven, Barter Island.

If things change. Do not use "any traffic in the area, please advise"; the AIM says it is not to be used under any condition (AIM 4-1-9 g 1). Listen for ten miles before you arrive; most of what you want to know has already been said.

Phraseology from AIM 4-1-9 c 1, g 1, g 8, h; TBL 4-1-1; 4-3-3. What TowerTalk grades against →

The calls you will make here

Nearby in Alaska

Frequencies, runways and airspace from the FAA National Airspace System Resources (NASR) 28-day subscription, cycle effective Oct 29, 2026. Training use only. Always verify against a current Chart Supplement and sectional chart before flight; frequencies change. TowerTalk is not affiliated with the FAA. Report a discrepancy.

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