That sounds like somewhat dangeraous wording to me, If I’m allowed to say that. Someone not familiar with this kind of phraseology would never suspect that an aircraft is about to enter the (active) runway any moment. ICAO (which provides also the basis for U.S. R/T) has the word ”BACKTRACK" for this kind of thing.
First, we don’t use the term back-track in the US, we use back-taxi. It is defined in the Pilot Controller Glossary as:
BACK-TAXI? A term used by air traffic controllers to taxi an aircraft on the runway opposite to the traffic flow. The aircraft may be instructed to back-taxi to the beginning of the runway or at some point before reaching the runway end for the purpose of departure or to exit the runway.
Phraseology using the term back-taxi is not given in the AIM other than the reference above in the PCG. In a non-towered environment here in the US it is a self announced position report to let others know I am taxiing on the runway against the normal direction and that the runway is still in use until I clear the runway at which time I am expected to self announce I have cleared the runway. From the AIM:
Self-announce is a procedure whereby pilots broadcast their position or intended flight activity or ground operation on the designated CTAF.
ICAO does not provide the basis for U.S. R/T, it is defined locally. Any pilot flying into airspace of another state is expected to become familiar with the differences in the states AIP publication. The US AIP states the following:
U.S. has no phraseology using “BACKTRACT.”
U.S. does use BACK-TAXI (7110.65) ? A term used by air traffic controllers to taxi an aircraft on the runway opposite to the traffic flow. The aircraft may be instructed to back-taxi to the beginning of the runway or at some point before reaching the runway end for the purpose of departure or to exit the runway.
Here in the UK I would assume any signal square to be just bits of rotting timber.
It may be true that the vast majority of GA runways are unmanned but that’s only if you include all the farm strips. We have about 80 just in Sussex (according to the police, who visit them).
But then obviously there isn’t going to be a signals square. Actually most of them won’t even have a (visible) windsock and will be doing their damnest to keep out of Lockyers and similar guides, because they don’t want visitors (except pre-arranged) and don’t want local schools to be doing low approaches – because they are trying to keep their heads under the 28 day rule 
Re the radio call on backtracking, I would just say “Nxxxxx backtracking” and then everybody knows I am on the runway and they need to watch out.
Using airfield with NO person on the ground and NO signals square, where the parking not accessed from the runway ends, (e.g. Dornoch) I say "backtgracking 28 if I landed 28, then call vacated. Departing I call “Entering and backtracking 28”. Very often there is a crosswing varying around 90 degrees to the runway, so a good lookout is essential and either 28 or 10 might appear best from the windsock. There are non radio aircraft about, and using the wrong frequency is not unusual.
Departing 25 Ashaig (Skye) some years ago, I made a 30 degree right turn immediately after lift off, and passed a twin at about 500’, turning final for 07. We were on different frequencies. Making a full set of calls is important – “approaching from”, “overhead”," descending to join".
You approach an airfield and the signal square says 27. Winds favour 09. what do you do?
And what happens when the last time the unmanned airfield was manned temporarily and that was Wednesday. Its now Friday and the wind has moved from a runway 27 direction to a runway 09 direction. Do you still trust that signal square? I think I have seen only two or three signal squares, having landed at 60 airfields in the UK, and at least one of those I assumed was just for mere decorative purposes. Maybe there were some at the other 57 airfields, but the fact I didn’t see them, suggests to me they are a bit redundant in our more modern age.
“83N back taxiing to the FBO”
That sounds like somewhat dangeraous wording to me, If I’m allowed to say that. Someone not familiar with this kind of phraseology would never suspect that an aircraft is about to enter the (active) runway any moment. ICAO (which provides also the basis for U.S. R/T) has the word ”BACKTRACK" for this kind of thing.
And regarding the original question: ”Entering runway for backtrack” is what I would say. No designator unless there were multiple runways. The purpose of this radio call is to tell other traffic that the runway is going to be occupied for longer that it takes to just line up and take off.
Why to confuse other guys aroud you with bactracking? In some cases they migth not care if your are backtracking for departure or just to have a pickink close to the other end. What about “lining up 21 and taxiing or departure on 03”? You provide the rigth level of information
Backtracking can be for departure or for exiting the runway after a landing. Here in the US, 90+% of the airports are non towered. We don’t have a concept of an airport commander, so at all non towered airports, there isn’t technically a concept of an active runway, although pilots will use terminology such as taking the active or exiting the active. I occasionally will jokingly ask the pilot who says “taking the active”, “are you planning on giving it back when you are done with it?”
Most non towered airports have a Unicom that is operated by the local FBO, but most are very careful not use terminology that suggests an active runway. They certainly have absolutely no authority in this matter, it is up to the pilots using the airport. The vast majority of pilots will use the prevailing winds to determine the runway direction to use. The pattern is left hand unless at the segmented circle indicates that the pattern is right hand. Pattern direction only affects landing and is not regulated for departure. It is not uncommon for pilots who wish to use a particular runway, particularly for departure, to announce their intentions and wait for an opening if there is traffic in the pattern. At our airport, the approaches are from the south, which is often counter to the prevailing direction of the pattern. In this case, pilots coordinate amongst themselves and there is often a mix between IFR and VFR usage. For this reason, the prevailing calm wind (less than 5 Kts in any direction) is runway 2. At our airport, there is one taxiway exit at mid field to the east. There is a parallel taxiway to the west. If a pilot is not able to get stopped and has gone slightly past, the east turn off, occasionally pilots will back taxi the short distance to it.
If the runway does not have parallel taxiways and has a center field parking area, back taxi’s are often required for departure and landing. I normally use phraseology “83N back taxiing to runway 2 for departure” or “83N back taxiing to the FBO”. The only time I would specify the runway pair I was back taxiing on would be when there were multiple runways pairs to eliminate the ambiguity. There isn’t a specific recommended phraseology in the AIM.
BTW what is an ASOS?
Hi Jan, ASOS is Automated Surface Observation System. A lot of airports in the US have it. You tune it in when inbound and an artificial voice gives you the wind, altimeter setting and cloud cover information at the airport. Its similar in function to ATIS at a bigger airport but ASOS is continually updating instead of being recorded once per hour.
The difference at the small uncontrolled airport, using ASOS, is that the pilot is expected to choose his own runway, and ASOS is one tool that helps him start doing that before he’s close to other landing traffic. You can also tune and use an airport ASOS to keep your altimeter setting accurate as fly overhead on a VFR cross-country.
It is always right to look for no radio traffic at small airports in the US. My small aircraft has been flown twice across the country with only a handheld radio, and if the batteries quit, that’s what you become! Also in most airspace there’s no requirement to have a radio at all (i.e. Class E), and out in the country people fly small planes without them.
@bosco: well, sorry, but yes you do seem to have taken my meaning, yes. And I did write up what I was taught to be law and order. Though of course I stand ready to be corrected, there used to be more Belgians round here, weren’t there?
But I can’t understand the doubt in your last phrase: it seems obvious to me that (emergencies excepted, as in the example I cited) if a lawful and safe landing cannot be made than one needs to divert? What’s wrong or dangerous or difficult about diverting, anyway?
BTW radio announcements are always optional, and can never affect the legal consequences, at non-controlled fields where transmissions are not recorded.
[[later edit]] and perhaps I should have made it more clear that, as regards infractions, Belgium is a Latin country: even if one does commit an infraction, that doesn’t mean one will get prosecuted, not by a long way.
@Silvaire: thanks for a calm reply. I never heard of an airfield publishing a “calm wind runway” but it seems a good idea, if signal squares are not used. This gives at least a “default” option, helping to avoid anarchism.
I realise that I haven’t yet mentioned the usual solution, as you did: arriving to one’s destination, one tunes in the aerodrome frequency, and usually learns what runway is being used soon enough. But one should always be aware there could be NORDO traffic around, rare though it is here.
BTW what is an ASOS?
And yes, I am in the same boat as you: never had to perform a backtrack as yet. Perhaps it is as well to think it over BEFORE doing it in real life!
