CFI complains of parachute jumping activity in proximity of traffic pattern traffic. Non tower airpo...

Attributes
ACN	246909
Time
Date	199307
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : srq airport : sfq
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	246909
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe conflict : ground less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

This is to report the unsafe operations of skydivers jumping through the landing pattern at sfq. While in the pattern, numerous loads of jumpers (wind northeast at 5-10 KTS) passed through the fixed wing pattern en route to their target on airport property. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: this parachute jumping activity has been going on at this airport for about 4 months. The jump operator having moved back after an absence of some yrs. There are no NOTAMS listed on this for the airport, nor does the AOPA airport book or the airport facility directory display any information regarding the activity. Reporter feels that the operation is marginally safe and that eventually something is going to occur and would feel better if the FAA or 'someone' just looked it over and gave their blessings on the operation. They are announcing on unicom as required but as the reporter says, 'they are all over the place, while you are in the pattern, landing, takeoff and taxiing.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFI COMPLAINS OF PARACHUTE JUMPING ACTIVITY IN PROX OF TFC PATTERN TFC. NON TWR ARPT.

Narrative: THIS IS TO RPT THE UNSAFE OPS OF SKYDIVERS JUMPING THROUGH THE LNDG PATTERN AT SFQ. WHILE IN THE PATTERN, NUMEROUS LOADS OF JUMPERS (WIND NE AT 5-10 KTS) PASSED THROUGH THE FIXED WING PATTERN ENRTE TO THEIR TARGET ON ARPT PROPERTY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THIS PARACHUTE JUMPING ACTIVITY HAS BEEN GOING ON AT THIS ARPT FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS. THE JUMP OPERATOR HAVING MOVED BACK AFTER AN ABSENCE OF SOME YRS. THERE ARE NO NOTAMS LISTED ON THIS FOR THE ARPT, NOR DOES THE AOPA ARPT BOOK OR THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY DISPLAY ANY INFO REGARDING THE ACTIVITY. RPTR FEELS THAT THE OP IS MARGINALLY SAFE AND THAT EVENTUALLY SOMETHING IS GOING TO OCCUR AND WOULD FEEL BETTER IF THE FAA OR 'SOMEONE' JUST LOOKED IT OVER AND GAVE THEIR BLESSINGS ON THE OP. THEY ARE ANNOUNCING ON UNICOM AS REQUIRED BUT AS THE RPTR SAYS, 'THEY ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE, WHILE YOU ARE IN THE PATTERN, LNDG, TKOF AND TAXIING.'

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.

CFI complains of parachute jumping activity in proximity of traffic pattern traffic. Non tower airport.