Narrative:

On approach into scottsdale at 3000 MSL pattern altitude local controller complained on the radio and said that pattern altitude was 2500 ft (field elevation 1500 MSL). I called on the phone to discuss this with the controller who, after some discussion after I had read her the far 91.129(D) regulatory requirement for turbine equipment to fly a 1500 AGL pattern, said that the training manual did indeed specify a 1500 ft AGL pattern for both turboprops and jets. I agreed that the airport facility directory does indeed give pattern altitudes as '2500 propeller, 3000 jet' -- but the listing disagrees with the far. I went over to discuss this with the FSDO who agreed that 1500 AGL is indeed the turbine traffic pattern altitude here, but seemed otherwise uninterested. This airport facility directory listing needs correction before it causes real trouble. If all turbines fly the regulatory traffic pattern altitude there is little chance of one of us letting down on top of another or on top of a slower reciprocating. But the airport facility directory listing can cause pilots who take it to heart to use the wrong traffic pattern altitude. Can't ASRS help get this listing fixed? One more question -- are there other airports with this listing problem? Wherever this occurs, it may get carried through into commercial airport information pubs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PVT SMT TURBOPROP ACFT ENTERED A TFC PATTERN AT THE ALT FOR TURBINE PWRED ACFT.

Narrative: ON APCH INTO SCOTTSDALE AT 3000 MSL PATTERN ALT LCL CTLR COMPLAINED ON THE RADIO AND SAID THAT PATTERN ALT WAS 2500 FT (FIELD ELEVATION 1500 MSL). I CALLED ON THE PHONE TO DISCUSS THIS WITH THE CTLR WHO, AFTER SOME DISCUSSION AFTER I HAD READ HER THE FAR 91.129(D) REGULATORY REQUIREMENT FOR TURBINE EQUIP TO FLY A 1500 AGL PATTERN, SAID THAT THE TRAINING MANUAL DID INDEED SPECIFY A 1500 FT AGL PATTERN FOR BOTH TURBOPROPS AND JETS. I AGREED THAT THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY DOES INDEED GIVE PATTERN ALTS AS '2500 PROP, 3000 JET' -- BUT THE LISTING DISAGREES WITH THE FAR. I WENT OVER TO DISCUSS THIS WITH THE FSDO WHO AGREED THAT 1500 AGL IS INDEED THE TURBINE TFC PATTERN ALT HERE, BUT SEEMED OTHERWISE UNINTERESTED. THIS ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY LISTING NEEDS CORRECTION BEFORE IT CAUSES REAL TROUBLE. IF ALL TURBINES FLY THE REGULATORY TFC PATTERN ALT THERE IS LITTLE CHANCE OF ONE OF US LETTING DOWN ON TOP OF ANOTHER OR ON TOP OF A SLOWER RECIPROCATING. BUT THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY LISTING CAN CAUSE PLTS WHO TAKE IT TO HEART TO USE THE WRONG TFC PATTERN ALT. CAN'T ASRS HELP GET THIS LISTING FIXED? ONE MORE QUESTION -- ARE THERE OTHER ARPTS WITH THIS LISTING PROB? WHEREVER THIS OCCURS, IT MAY GET CARRIED THROUGH INTO COMMERCIAL ARPT INFO PUBS.

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.