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Smf front line manager and local controller report of an opposite direction operation (odo) that resulted in a loss of required odo separation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1242646 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201502 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | SMF.Tower |
| State Reference | CA |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Final Approach |
| Route In Use | Visual Approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Final Approach |
| Route In Use | Visual Approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Supervisor / CIC Ground |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Experience | Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 29 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | Local |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Experience | Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 7.5 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy |
Narrative:
Change of runway from noise abatement (rwy 34L/right) to normal operations (rwy 16L/right) had just occurred. I was working ground control. Northern california TRACON requested opposite direction for aircraft Y to rwy 34R. Aircraft X was on final to rwy 16L sequenced number one to the runway. It appeared from the outset that it would be close to newly determined cutoff point for odo to the same runway. Local controller discussed situation with me and we had decided that if aircraft Y needed to be redirected to rwy 16L/right we would be advised by the arrival sector. Aircraft X was on short final (less than 1/2 mile) when aircraft Y checked in at about a 13 mile final. New cutoff requirements had gone into effect that required the second aircraft to be at 15 miles or greater when the first aircraft crossed the threshold. The procedure as set up is sufficient for the operation. I now think that it would have been appropriate for me to call the supervisor or the local controller to advise the arrival sector that aircraft Y needed to be broken off the approach and redirected to the runway in use. As written; there is the implication in the LOA that in this case the arrival/coordinating sector would advise us to break out the aircraft; just as they would be expected to do if we had compression to the runway in use and it appeared that there would be a loss. I don't know that specifying the responsibility more clearly would solve this issue.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMF Front Line Manager and Local Controller report of an Opposite Direction Operation (ODO) that resulted in a loss of required ODO separation.
Narrative: Change of runway from noise abatement (Rwy 34L/R) to normal operations (Rwy 16L/R) had just occurred. I was working Ground Control. Northern California TRACON requested opposite direction for Aircraft Y to Rwy 34R. Aircraft X was on final to Rwy 16L sequenced number one to the runway. It appeared from the outset that it would be close to newly determined cutoff point for ODO to the same runway. Local controller discussed situation with me and we had decided that if Aircraft Y needed to be redirected to Rwy 16L/R we would be advised by the arrival sector. Aircraft X was on short final (less than 1/2 mile) when Aircraft Y checked in at about a 13 mile final. New cutoff requirements had gone into effect that required the second aircraft to be at 15 miles or greater when the first aircraft crossed the threshold. The procedure as set up is sufficient for the operation. I now think that it would have been appropriate for me to call the supervisor or the local controller to advise the arrival sector that Aircraft Y needed to be broken off the approach and redirected to the runway in use. As written; there is the implication in the LOA that in this case the arrival/coordinating sector would advise us to break out the aircraft; just as they would be expected to do if we had compression to the runway in use and it appeared that there would be a loss. I don't know that specifying the responsibility more clearly would solve this issue.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.