Narrative:

While on a wide left downwind vector for runway 26 at night, no navaids for runway 26. The controller was working a lot of military traffic and forgot us. There are very high mountains just east of the airport. As the radar altimeter started to move I started a turn to base and told the first officer to tell approach. Approach said 'cleared for the visual'. They always use 26 at night instead of runway 35. I fly into abq 2-3 times per week! They are more concerned about a noise problem than safety. Abq tower refuses to let you use runway 35 99% of time, even when the winds favor 35. They said abq is a trainer center. Well, they are training these controllers by someone who doesn't care about safety. They are going to kill people by a pilot who doesn't operate in and out of abq on a weekly basis. Why should I fly around the mountains at night to land on 26 with no navaids instead of using runway 35? Please look into this airport!. This is the worst airport I fly into! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: called facility and talked to supervisor. He said that runway 26 has VASI only. Aircraft are instructed to start base leg between 13.5 DME from the VOR which is located about 10 mi west of the airport, and to complete the turn by 15 DME. This is due to the higher terrain east of the airport. The area north of the airport is noise sensitive. Called reporter and discussed the approach. Says this is a common occurrence and believes there is a safety issue. Suggests that they should import controllers from a busier ATC facility to show them how to do it. He said the incident happened 8.5 DME from the localizer, not the VOR as indicated. He also said there were no lights on top of the mountains and it appeared to be a dark hole at night.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT COMPLAINS ABOUT ATC SERVICE AT ABQ AND VECTORING TOWARDS HIGHER TERRAIN EAST OF THE ARPT AT NIGHT.

Narrative: WHILE ON A WIDE LEFT DOWNWIND VECTOR FOR RWY 26 AT NIGHT, NO NAVAIDS FOR RWY 26. THE CTLR WAS WORKING A LOT OF MIL TFC AND FORGOT US. THERE ARE VERY HIGH MOUNTAINS JUST E OF THE ARPT. AS THE RADAR ALTIMETER STARTED TO MOVE I STARTED A TURN TO BASE AND TOLD THE F/O TO TELL APCH. APCH SAID 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL'. THEY ALWAYS USE 26 AT NIGHT INSTEAD OF RWY 35. I FLY INTO ABQ 2-3 TIMES PER WEEK! THEY ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT A NOISE PROBLEM THAN SAFETY. ABQ TWR REFUSES TO LET YOU USE RWY 35 99% OF TIME, EVEN WHEN THE WINDS FAVOR 35. THEY SAID ABQ IS A TRAINER CENTER. WELL, THEY ARE TRAINING THESE CTLRS BY SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T CARE ABOUT SAFETY. THEY ARE GOING TO KILL PEOPLE BY A PLT WHO DOESN'T OPERATE IN AND OUT OF ABQ ON A WEEKLY BASIS. WHY SHOULD I FLY AROUND THE MOUNTAINS AT NIGHT TO LAND ON 26 WITH NO NAVAIDS INSTEAD OF USING RWY 35? PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ARPT!. THIS IS THE WORST ARPT I FLY INTO! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CALLED FAC AND TALKED TO SUPVR. HE SAID THAT RWY 26 HAS VASI ONLY. ACFT ARE INSTRUCTED TO START BASE LEG BETWEEN 13.5 DME FROM THE VOR WHICH IS LOCATED ABOUT 10 MI W OF THE ARPT, AND TO COMPLETE THE TURN BY 15 DME. THIS IS DUE TO THE HIGHER TERRAIN E OF THE ARPT. THE AREA N OF THE ARPT IS NOISE SENSITIVE. CALLED REPORTER AND DISCUSSED THE APCH. SAYS THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND BELIEVES THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE. SUGGESTS THAT THEY SHOULD IMPORT CTLRS FROM A BUSIER ATC FAC TO SHOW THEM HOW TO DO IT. HE SAID THE INCIDENT HAPPENED 8.5 DME FROM THE LOC, NOT THE VOR AS INDICATED. HE ALSO SAID THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS AND IT APPEARED TO BE A DARK HOLE AT NIGHT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.