Narrative:

I have attached a copy of a letter from the FAA procedures division that states the air force 815TH recon squadron may drop 3 ft long metal torpedoes from high altitude over heavily used intxns in the positive control area. When this torpedo is dropped it is done without permission. There are no instructions for the radar controller to follow when a pilot advises that he is dropping the device. In fact, the pilot can drop his torpedo directly on top of another aircraft. The torpedo has no transponder so TCASII won't pick it up. This is outlandish. I feel that the pilot should ask for permission, the controller should have procedures to follow, and the torpedo should be transponder equipped. The whole procedure violates the FARS on positive control area, as this device is a hazard and certainly not under any control. Discussions with the air force reserve 815TH WX reconnaissance squadron have revealed an operational procedure used during winter storm reconnaissance missions that may be a safety factor. Sensors are dropped by these aircraft at high altitude over sometimes heavily used intxns. The national winter storms operations plan requires that mission aircraft coordinate with controllers prior to these sensors or 'dropsondes' being released. Their interpretation of this requirement is that this coordination is not a request to release the instruments, it is only an advisory. A dropsonde is a metal torpedo shaped sensor, approximately 3 ft long, and has a parachute device that slows its fall to 1000 FPM. They will drift laterally with the upper winds. When dropsondes are released, they are a factor for other aircraft for many mins.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL ACFT DROP OF WX EQUIP IN PCA.

Narrative: I HAVE ATTACHED A COPY OF A LETTER FROM THE FAA PROCS DIVISION THAT STATES THE AIR FORCE 815TH RECON SQUADRON MAY DROP 3 FT LONG METAL TORPEDOES FROM HIGH ALT OVER HEAVILY USED INTXNS IN THE PCA. WHEN THIS TORPEDO IS DROPPED IT IS DONE WITHOUT PERMISSION. THERE ARE NO INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE RADAR CTLR TO FOLLOW WHEN A PLT ADVISES THAT HE IS DROPPING THE DEVICE. IN FACT, THE PLT CAN DROP HIS TORPEDO DIRECTLY ON TOP OF ANOTHER ACFT. THE TORPEDO HAS NO XPONDER SO TCASII WON'T PICK IT UP. THIS IS OUTLANDISH. I FEEL THAT THE PLT SHOULD ASK FOR PERMISSION, THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE PROCS TO FOLLOW, AND THE TORPEDO SHOULD BE XPONDER EQUIPPED. THE WHOLE PROC VIOLATES THE FARS ON PCA, AS THIS DEVICE IS A HAZARD AND CERTAINLY NOT UNDER ANY CTL. DISCUSSIONS WITH THE AIR FORCE RESERVE 815TH WX RECONNAISSANCE SQUADRON HAVE REVEALED AN OPERATIONAL PROC USED DURING WINTER STORM RECONNAISSANCE MISSIONS THAT MAY BE A SAFETY FACTOR. SENSORS ARE DROPPED BY THESE ACFT AT HIGH ALT OVER SOMETIMES HEAVILY USED INTXNS. THE NATIONAL WINTER STORMS OPS PLAN REQUIRES THAT MISSION ACFT COORDINATE WITH CTLRS PRIOR TO THESE SENSORS OR 'DROPSONDES' BEING RELEASED. THEIR INTERP OF THIS REQUIREMENT IS THAT THIS COORD IS NOT A REQUEST TO RELEASE THE INSTS, IT IS ONLY AN ADVISORY. A DROPSONDE IS A METAL TORPEDO SHAPED SENSOR, APPROX 3 FT LONG, AND HAS A PARACHUTE DEVICE THAT SLOWS ITS FALL TO 1000 FPM. THEY WILL DRIFT LATERALLY WITH THE UPPER WINDS. WHEN DROPSONDES ARE RELEASED, THEY ARE A FACTOR FOR OTHER ACFT FOR MANY MINS.

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.