Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight Crew Glider; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 4500; Flight Crew Type 530
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors
At Sebring Regional Airport (SEF); an aerobatic practice box and practice area was established. The narrative description of the aerobatic box and practice are provided to pilots both in text (at the FBO desk) and over the AWOS frequency stated:EFFECTIVE: A block of airspace 2 square miles from center of airport from the surface up to 3;500 feet AGL; aerobatic practice and high speed traffic. Use right hand traffic for Runway 14 and Runway 19. Contact Unicom for advisory.Inbound to the airport; hearing the AWOS announcement; I was confused by the verbal description of the location and size of the practice area. I concluded that aerobatic practice area was either a circle; or a square; or rectangle measuring 2 miles in all directions from the center of the airport; from the surface to 3;500 feet AGL; therefore; I could not fly within 2 miles of the airport; from any direction; and avoid the aerobatic practice area - yet the field was still open without much traffic. Focusing on the ambiguity of that conclusion; I failed to process the words 'Use right hand traffic for Runway 14' and entered a standard left downwind for Runway 14. No conflict actually developed. Based solely upon the textual description of the aerobatic practice area; supra; if you ask at least five or more experienced pilots to draw a diagram of aerobatic practice area; you will find a variety of diagrams; and all of them will be wrong - none will correctly depict the actual aerobatic practice in use at Sebring on those two days.Upon landing; I approached the FBO desk to better understand the restrictions. I was shown the printed notice on the FBOs desk and; later; upon request; a diagram of the aerobatic box and a copy of the FAA waiver that described the actual aerobatic practice area. When I read the actual description of the aerobatic practice area in the FAA written waiver; it was quite accurate. Based solely upon the photo diagram of the aerobatic practice area; it appears that an aerobatic practice area and an aerobatic practice box are depicted; adjacent to and northeast of Runways 14-32. The larger aerobatic practice area is 4;500 feet by 4;500 feet (about 1 square mile); the smaller box (within larger) is 3;300 feet by 3;300 feet (about ¾ of a square mile).For the purpose of safety and clarity; a better description of the actual aerobatic area would have been:EFFECTIVE: A one square mile block of airspace adjacent to and northeast of Runway 14-32 from the surface up to 3;500 feet AGL is set aside for aerobatic practice and high speed traffic. Use right hand traffic for Runway 14 and Runway 19. Contact Unicom for advisory.The airport personnel with whom I raised the issue were quite confused over how to describe the aerobatic practice area. My experience of 48 years of flying suggests that allowing airport personnel to describe the aerobatic practice area on their own; without any supervision; is an accident waiting to happen. I would therefore suggest that to prevent future confusion; the airport should be required to submit; along with its request for waiver; a suggested form of announcement; which; as part of the waiver would be reviewed and approved by the FAA.
General Aviation pilot reports being confused by the description of an aerobatic box adjacent to the SEF airport and believes that it does not come close to describing the actual location and size of the box. During the confusion the pattern direction specifically prohibited by the AWOS message is used for approach and landing. No conflict develops.