Narrative:

Air carrier X being vectored by alb approach control passed directly over mlt Y flying at 1700 ft on a downwind to runway 28 at sch. Air carrier X was approximately 300-400 ft over mlt Y who was operating in the traffic pattern. Shortly thereafter, an alb controller called via landline to complain that mlt X was 'too far out', overflying the final approach course to runway 19 at albany, and to have the pilot keep their approach pattern closer. I advised the alb controller that the mlt Y had been turning a 2 mi final on each approach. This type of incident is happening too often to ignore. The sch air traffic area upper limits are up to, but not including, 2000 ft MSL. Sch airport field elevation is 378 ft which leaves only about 1600 ft of usable airspace in which to work all traffic. We sch controllers have constantly complained about the serious lack of airspace and of albany approach's lack of respect for airspace that is supposed to be the sch air traffic area. Recently, an medium large transport and an small aircraft were involved with the same type of incident. Alb approach constantly vectors aircraft overhead at 2000 ft. Albany airport is 8 mi from schenectady and not even close to a final approach course. Why turbojets and turboprops have to be at min altitude 8 mi on a downwind to the airport of intended landing is beyond my comprehension as a controller and pilot. We need more vertical airspace to preclude further incidents or possibly an accident from occurring. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: sch ATCT is a non federal tower. The reporter stated the traffic pattern for small aircraft aircraft is 1200 ft. The pattern for mlt aircraft was recently raised to 1700 ft for noise abatement. When mlt type aircraft are operating in the traffic pattern sch tower is required to inform alb approach control. The reporter further stated the problem occurs when alb approach vectors aircraft for a visual approach over the sch air traffic area. No buffer area is established between the floor of alb approach airspace and sch air traffic area when visual approachs are in use.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD AIRBORNE CONFLICT WITH MLT Y. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT. POSSIBLE UNAUTHORIZED AIRSPACE ENTRY.

Narrative: ACR X BEING VECTORED BY ALB APCH CTL PASSED DIRECTLY OVER MLT Y FLYING AT 1700 FT ON A DOWNWIND TO RWY 28 AT SCH. ACR X WAS APPROX 300-400 FT OVER MLT Y WHO WAS OPERATING IN THE TFC PATTERN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, AN ALB CTLR CALLED VIA LANDLINE TO COMPLAIN THAT MLT X WAS 'TOO FAR OUT', OVERFLYING THE FINAL APCH COURSE TO RWY 19 AT ALBANY, AND TO HAVE THE PLT KEEP THEIR APCH PATTERN CLOSER. I ADVISED THE ALB CTLR THAT THE MLT Y HAD BEEN TURNING A 2 MI FINAL ON EACH APCH. THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT IS HAPPENING TOO OFTEN TO IGNORE. THE SCH ATA UPPER LIMITS ARE UP TO, BUT NOT INCLUDING, 2000 FT MSL. SCH ARPT FIELD ELEVATION IS 378 FT WHICH LEAVES ONLY ABOUT 1600 FT OF USABLE AIRSPACE IN WHICH TO WORK ALL TFC. WE SCH CTLRS HAVE CONSTANTLY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SERIOUS LACK OF AIRSPACE AND OF ALBANY APCH'S LACK OF RESPECT FOR AIRSPACE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE SCH ATA. RECENTLY, AN MLG AND AN SMA WERE INVOLVED WITH THE SAME TYPE OF INCIDENT. ALB APCH CONSTANTLY VECTORS ACFT OVERHEAD AT 2000 FT. ALBANY ARPT IS 8 MI FROM SCHENECTADY AND NOT EVEN CLOSE TO A FINAL APCH COURSE. WHY TURBOJETS AND TURBOPROPS HAVE TO BE AT MIN ALT 8 MI ON A DOWNWIND TO THE ARPT OF INTENDED LNDG IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION AS A CTLR AND PLT. WE NEED MORE VERT AIRSPACE TO PRECLUDE FURTHER INCIDENTS OR POSSIBLY AN ACCIDENT FROM OCCURRING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: SCH ATCT IS A NON FEDERAL TWR. THE RPTR STATED THE TFC PATTERN FOR SMA ACFT IS 1200 FT. THE PATTERN FOR MLT ACFT WAS RECENTLY RAISED TO 1700 FT FOR NOISE ABATEMENT. WHEN MLT TYPE ACFT ARE OPERATING IN THE TFC PATTERN SCH TWR IS REQUIRED TO INFORM ALB APCH CTL. THE RPTR FURTHER STATED THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN ALB APCH VECTORS ACFT FOR A VISUAL APCH OVER THE SCH ATA. NO BUFFER AREA IS ESTABLISHED BTWN THE FLOOR OF ALB APCH AIRSPACE AND SCH ATA WHEN VISUAL APCHS ARE IN USE.

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.