Narrative:

This may not be the sort of issue NASA normally deals with, and even if it is not a real safety hazard, it is confusing me greatly. How can 2 intxns have the same name? Specifically, the kathy intersection, which is a fix on the ILS runway 34 approach to dtw has been within the last yr or so added to the approach. It is what we call a step-down fix on the approach. Unfortunately, there already is a kathy intersection. It is the final approach fix for the NDB runway 09 approach to ypt. Ypt is approximately 43 mi southeast of dtw. The 2 kathy intxns are approximately 40 NM apart. Given the relative closeness of the 2 intxns, the possibility for confusion (more than just my own) would seem to exist. A fair # of canadian pilots fly through the dtw area, and it seems to me that they could be the most likely to have a problem with the 2 intxns. When I approached our plans and procedures staff at dtw, I was informed that this situation is perfectly all right because the intxns are in 2 different countries, that we are americans and we can do whatever we darn well please, and (in so many words) that I should shut up and go back to the radar room and leave the professionals alone so they can do their work. Personally, I think that one of the intxns should be renamed. To assist you in locating them, the dtw kathy is at 41-55-12.34 north 83-33-13.23W; the ypt kathy is at 41-46-50N 82-40-42W.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR REPORTING FEELS 2 INTXNS WITH SAME NAME, KATHY, ONLY 40 MILES APART IS POTENTIALLY CONFUSING.

Narrative: THIS MAY NOT BE THE SORT OF ISSUE NASA NORMALLY DEALS WITH, AND EVEN IF IT IS NOT A REAL SAFETY HAZARD, IT IS CONFUSING ME GREATLY. HOW CAN 2 INTXNS HAVE THE SAME NAME? SPECIFICALLY, THE KATHY INTXN, WHICH IS A FIX ON THE ILS RWY 34 APCH TO DTW HAS BEEN WITHIN THE LAST YR OR SO ADDED TO THE APCH. IT IS WHAT WE CALL A STEP-DOWN FIX ON THE APCH. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ALREADY IS A KATHY INTXN. IT IS THE FINAL APCH FIX FOR THE NDB RWY 09 APCH TO YPT. YPT IS APPROX 43 MI SE OF DTW. THE 2 KATHY INTXNS ARE APPROX 40 NM APART. GIVEN THE RELATIVE CLOSENESS OF THE 2 INTXNS, THE POSSIBILITY FOR CONFUSION (MORE THAN JUST MY OWN) WOULD SEEM TO EXIST. A FAIR # OF CANADIAN PLTS FLY THROUGH THE DTW AREA, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THEY COULD BE THE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE A PROB WITH THE 2 INTXNS. WHEN I APCHED OUR PLANS AND PROCS STAFF AT DTW, I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS SITUATION IS PERFECTLY ALL RIGHT BECAUSE THE INTXNS ARE IN 2 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, THAT WE ARE AMERICANS AND WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE DARN WELL PLEASE, AND (IN SO MANY WORDS) THAT I SHOULD SHUT UP AND GO BACK TO THE RADAR ROOM AND LEAVE THE PROFESSIONALS ALONE SO THEY CAN DO THEIR WORK. PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE INTXNS SHOULD BE RENAMED. TO ASSIST YOU IN LOCATING THEM, THE DTW KATHY IS AT 41-55-12.34 N 83-33-13.23W; THE YPT KATHY IS AT 41-46-50N 82-40-42W.

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.