Soaring club had official sanction to conduct flts in the positive control area--all papers in order...

Attributes
ACN	138277
Time
Date	199002
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : esl
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sail Plane
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	138277
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

For about 1 month every yr the soaring club receives a waiver with restrictions to operate within the positive control area from 180-230 inclusive. During this time there is a high # of glider operations contained within an area southwest of the esl VOR, located about 1/2-way between ekn and martinsburg, wv, using 299 (grant lo) as their home base. These glider operations are from surface to FL230. The airspace for this area terminates at 4 NM from clarksburg approach airspace. Clarksburg was never advised of this operation, nor was this high density traffic condition notamed to the public. Although the airspace is only sterile 180-230, in my opinion, this type of high density operation should be notamed for dissemination and also the effected approach control be advised in case VFR aircraft inquire about it, or IFR aircraft require radar vectors around it. I did not allow IFR/VFR aircraft in radio contact with me to penetrate this area west/O first informing them of it and offering radar vectors around it. I constantly observed 5-10 primary targets within this area while it was in use and considered it unsafe to let an aircraft fly through it west/O knowing what type of activity it contained.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SOARING CLUB HAD OFFICIAL SANCTION TO CONDUCT FLTS IN THE PCA--ALL PAPERS IN ORDER. CTLR REPORTING PROTESTS THE AREA NOT BEING NOTAMED.

Narrative: FOR ABOUT 1 MONTH EVERY YR THE SOARING CLUB RECEIVES A WAIVER WITH RESTRICTIONS TO OPERATE WITHIN THE PCA FROM 180-230 INCLUSIVE. DURING THIS TIME THERE IS A HIGH # OF GLIDER OPS CONTAINED WITHIN AN AREA SW OF THE ESL VOR, LOCATED ABOUT 1/2-WAY BTWN EKN AND MARTINSBURG, WV, USING 299 (GRANT LO) AS THEIR HOME BASE. THESE GLIDER OPS ARE FROM SURFACE TO FL230. THE AIRSPACE FOR THIS AREA TERMINATES AT 4 NM FROM CLARKSBURG APCH AIRSPACE. CLARKSBURG WAS NEVER ADVISED OF THIS OPERATION, NOR WAS THIS HIGH DENSITY TFC CONDITION NOTAMED TO THE PUBLIC. ALTHOUGH THE AIRSPACE IS ONLY STERILE 180-230, IN MY OPINION, THIS TYPE OF HIGH DENSITY OPERATION SHOULD BE NOTAMED FOR DISSEMINATION AND ALSO THE EFFECTED APCH CTL BE ADVISED IN CASE VFR ACFT INQUIRE ABOUT IT, OR IFR ACFT REQUIRE RADAR VECTORS AROUND IT. I DID NOT ALLOW IFR/VFR ACFT IN RADIO CONTACT WITH ME TO PENETRATE THIS AREA W/O FIRST INFORMING THEM OF IT AND OFFERING RADAR VECTORS AROUND IT. I CONSTANTLY OBSERVED 5-10 PRIMARY TARGETS WITHIN THIS AREA WHILE IT WAS IN USE AND CONSIDERED IT UNSAFE TO LET AN ACFT FLY THROUGH IT W/O KNOWING WHAT TYPE OF ACTIVITY IT CONTAINED.

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.

Soaring club had official sanction to conduct flts in the positive control area--all papers in order. Controller reporting protests the area not being notamed.