Narrative:

Numerous jump aircraft (up to 4 at 1 time) are dropping jumpers from 12500' to 13500' MSL over zephyrhills airport. In addition, the airport underlies V7 fed arwy that is heavily used for overflts. These jump aircraft pose a threat to life and property by dropping these jumpers. I have had several close calls with other aircraft having to take evasive action around aircraft and/or jumpers. To make things worse, management has decreed that these jump aircraft will remain on our frequencys (we are forced to work them, even though many of us believe it is a dangerous operation), even though they are climbing out of our airspace (tpa approach owns 12000' MSL) into ZJX airspace. I believe this problem should be addressed immediately before an accident happens. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: analyst attempted to contact reporter for more information; however, reporter did not return call. Analyst contacted facility and discussed with pps. LOA was implemented between approach control, center and operator at zph when the TCA started. LOA states that tpa will work all aircraft with coordination with ZJX as necessary. Tpa airspace goes up to 12000'. When new jump operator came on airport last oct or nov, tpa has been unable to get him to sign LOA. Reporter states there are a lot of politics between the first jump operator, city and new operator. Local FSDO has been involved, but trying to stay at a distance. Union at tpa not happy with facility policy of having to work all jumper aircraft. ATC services consist of providing traffic advisories only. They do not tell aircraft when jumpers can be released. Main problem appears to be both jump operators will not talk to one another. Controller reporter states in report that jump aircraft are on V7 arwy and feels this is not safe. Pps says they have not had any problems with incidents between V7 traffic and jumpers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR REPORTER IS CRITICAL OF FAC POLICY TO WORK ACFT FROM A NEARBY ARPT PRIMARILY USED BY JUMPER ACFT.

Narrative: NUMEROUS JUMP ACFT (UP TO 4 AT 1 TIME) ARE DROPPING JUMPERS FROM 12500' TO 13500' MSL OVER ZEPHYRHILLS ARPT. IN ADDITION, THE ARPT UNDERLIES V7 FED ARWY THAT IS HEAVILY USED FOR OVERFLTS. THESE JUMP ACFT POSE A THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY BY DROPPING THESE JUMPERS. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WITH OTHER ACFT HAVING TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION AROUND ACFT AND/OR JUMPERS. TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, MGMNT HAS DECREED THAT THESE JUMP ACFT WILL REMAIN ON OUR FREQS (WE ARE FORCED TO WORK THEM, EVEN THOUGH MANY OF US BELIEVE IT IS A DANGEROUS OPERATION), EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE CLBING OUT OF OUR AIRSPACE (TPA APCH OWNS 12000' MSL) INTO ZJX AIRSPACE. I BELIEVE THIS PROB SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: ANALYST ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT RPTR FOR MORE INFO; HOWEVER, RPTR DID NOT RETURN CALL. ANALYST CONTACTED FAC AND DISCUSSED WITH PPS. LOA WAS IMPLEMENTED BTWN APCH CTL, CENTER AND OPERATOR AT ZPH WHEN THE TCA STARTED. LOA STATES THAT TPA WILL WORK ALL ACFT WITH COORD WITH ZJX AS NECESSARY. TPA AIRSPACE GOES UP TO 12000'. WHEN NEW JUMP OPERATOR CAME ON ARPT LAST OCT OR NOV, TPA HAS BEEN UNABLE TO GET HIM TO SIGN LOA. RPTR STATES THERE ARE A LOT OF POLITICS BTWN THE FIRST JUMP OPERATOR, CITY AND NEW OPERATOR. LCL FSDO HAS BEEN INVOLVED, BUT TRYING TO STAY AT A DISTANCE. UNION AT TPA NOT HAPPY WITH FAC POLICY OF HAVING TO WORK ALL JUMPER ACFT. ATC SERVICES CONSIST OF PROVIDING TFC ADVISORIES ONLY. THEY DO NOT TELL ACFT WHEN JUMPERS CAN BE RELEASED. MAIN PROB APPEARS TO BE BOTH JUMP OPERATORS WILL NOT TALK TO ONE ANOTHER. CTLR RPTR STATES IN RPT THAT JUMP ACFT ARE ON V7 ARWY AND FEELS THIS IS NOT SAFE. PPS SAYS THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBS WITH INCIDENTS BTWN V7 TFC AND JUMPERS.

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.