Reporter objects to variable descent altitude assignments approaching eyw, VFR traffic causing go ar...

Attributes
ACN	107056
Time
Date	198903
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nqx
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nqx tower : eyw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing : go around
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	107056
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : military
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Standard approach procedure into eyw is cruise 16000 descent to 8000 then down to 1500 until airport in sight. Handling lately has been very questionable by navy approach. On 4 separate legs within one week we had 2 go arounds, one 360 degree turn for spacing at 600 AGL and holding in VFR conditions for VFR local traffic. Our particular situation had us cleared from 8000' to initially to 2500'. We felt for sure it was 1500' and usually until approach said we were following helo traffic and wanted us at 2500', we were at 2100' then expedited to 2500, then immediately we were cleared now, down to 1500. My whole point is key west is ladened with VFR local traffic, air carrier traffic makes up so little of the traffic that I feel we are not being utilized by approach to our optimum. Two go arounds in one week by the same crew is excessive. With the speeds of jets, I think touch and go traffic could give way to accommodate the jets more often than they are.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER OBJECTS TO VARIABLE DESCENT ALT ASSIGNMENTS APPROACHING EYW, VFR TRAFFIC CAUSING GO AROUNDS.

Narrative: STANDARD APCH PROC INTO EYW IS CRUISE 16000 DESCENT TO 8000 THEN DOWN TO 1500 UNTIL ARPT IN SIGHT. HANDLING LATELY HAS BEEN VERY QUESTIONABLE BY NAVY APCH. ON 4 SEPARATE LEGS WITHIN ONE WEEK WE HAD 2 GO AROUNDS, ONE 360 DEG TURN FOR SPACING AT 600 AGL AND HOLDING IN VFR CONDITIONS FOR VFR LOCAL TFC. OUR PARTICULAR SITUATION HAD US CLRED FROM 8000' TO INITIALLY TO 2500'. WE FELT FOR SURE IT WAS 1500' AND USUALLY UNTIL APCH SAID WE WERE FOLLOWING HELO TFC AND WANTED US AT 2500', WE WERE AT 2100' THEN EXPEDITED TO 2500, THEN IMMEDIATELY WE WERE CLRED NOW, DOWN TO 1500. MY WHOLE POINT IS KEY WEST IS LADENED WITH VFR LOCAL TFC, AIR CARRIER TFC MAKES UP SO LITTLE OF THE TFC THAT I FEEL WE ARE NOT BEING UTILIZED BY APCH TO OUR OPTIMUM. TWO GO AROUNDS IN ONE WEEK BY THE SAME CREW IS EXCESSIVE. WITH THE SPEEDS OF JETS, I THINK TOUCH AND GO TFC COULD GIVE WAY TO ACCOMMODATE THE JETS MORE OFTEN THAN THEY ARE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Reporter objects to variable descent altitude assignments approaching eyw, VFR traffic causing go arounds.