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Flight crew performing quiet bridge approach for parallel runway operation at sfo, objects to wing tip to wing tip sequencing of aircraft at night.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 110569 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198905 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sfo |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : oak artcc : zoa |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other landing other |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 1600 |
| ASRS Report | 110569 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 400 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
On assigned (by approach control) 28R parallel quiet bridge approach, our flight was paired exactly (no stagger) with an medium large transport from the 18 mi fix on quiet bridge visual to touchdown. There is not a doubt in my mind that this approach at night is marginally safe, only if aircraft are staggered. As we flew it I say it is outright night formation flying, dangerous and patently illegal according to the FARS. Closest lateral distance estimated zero vertical and 400' horizontal. This approach is FAA approved, ATC assigned and condemned by the great majority of airline pilots forced to fly it. My copilot (flying) was new to aircraft. My hands were full, and I was seriously distracted in this critical stage of flight.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW PERFORMING QUIET BRIDGE APCH FOR PARALLEL RWY OPERATION AT SFO, OBJECTS TO WING TIP TO WING TIP SEQUENCING OF ACFT AT NIGHT.
Narrative: ON ASSIGNED (BY APCH CTL) 28R PARALLEL QUIET BRIDGE APCH, OUR FLT WAS PAIRED EXACTLY (NO STAGGER) WITH AN MLG FROM THE 18 MI FIX ON QUIET BRIDGE VISUAL TO TOUCHDOWN. THERE IS NOT A DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THIS APCH AT NIGHT IS MARGINALLY SAFE, ONLY IF ACFT ARE STAGGERED. AS WE FLEW IT I SAY IT IS OUTRIGHT NIGHT FORMATION FLYING, DANGEROUS AND PATENTLY ILLEGAL ACCORDING TO THE FARS. CLOSEST LATERAL DISTANCE ESTIMATED ZERO VERTICAL AND 400' HORIZONTAL. THIS APCH IS FAA APPROVED, ATC ASSIGNED AND CONDEMNED BY THE GREAT MAJORITY OF AIRLINE PLTS FORCED TO FLY IT. MY COPLT (FLYING) WAS NEW TO ACFT. MY HANDS WERE FULL, AND I WAS SERIOUSLY DISTRACTED IN THIS CRITICAL STAGE OF FLT.
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.