Narrative:

Right after being handed off from twf departure to ZLC, they advised us that they had an 'advisory' for us. According to ZLC, a group of 'amateur rocket association' was currently launching rockets from surface up to FL190 on the boi 115 degree radial at 38 DME. He further advised us that ATC was not required to protect that airspace. ATC offered us a choice of either flying the airway (boi 113 degree radial) or getting vectors around the rocket launch site. We opted to fly around it. When queried, center told us that it wasn't a military operation. But they also didn't think that it was just a couple of 'bread boxes' that were being shot into the air. We never saw, heard or noticed anything unusual. But neither of us could understand how it is possible for someone to shoot 'rockets' into a known airway all the way up to FL190! Is this really legal? A good idea!? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he was completely astounded by the fact that a rocket capable of reaching FL190 would be allowed to operate adjacent to an airway and into positive control airspace. He believes that even if aircraft are vectored around the area it is still not safe since the lack of control of the rocket is no guarantee that the rocket would stay in the immediate airspace over the launch sight. He also stated that the airway on which he was inbound to boise, idaho, is the only and main air route into and out of boise, idaho! Therefore, many aircraft both VFR and IFR are exposed to this hazard. VFR traffic may not have the benefit of the ATC notice given to the reporter. In addition, the fire and heat from the rocket motor, creates a high potential fire hazard to any aircraft that it might collide with. He hopes that the sight will be moved well away from the busy airway in which it is presently located. Callback ii conversation with reporter revealed the following information: contacted ZLC and boi FSDO regarding rptrs concern about non protection of airspace. ZLC procedures specialist advised they knew about the operation and that boi FSDO had issued a waiver regarding the proposed rocket firing. They were contacted as the waiver stated before firing occurred. Boi FSDO, because of our inquiry, pulled the waiver and reviewed the procedures. They discovered that the waiver should not have been issued to FL190 but to only 6000 ft AGL. They further stated that the only firing period left is on oct/xx/95 and corrections will be made to the waiver or it could be canceled.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A COMMUTER ACFT IS NOTIFIED OF PROPOSED ROCKET LAUNCHING INTO THE AIRWAY AND THE OPTION OF BEING VECTORED AROUND THE 5 MI LAUNCH SIGHT AREA.

Narrative: RIGHT AFTER BEING HANDED OFF FROM TWF DEP TO ZLC, THEY ADVISED US THAT THEY HAD AN 'ADVISORY' FOR US. ACCORDING TO ZLC, A GROUP OF 'AMATEUR ROCKET ASSOCIATION' WAS CURRENTLY LAUNCHING ROCKETS FROM SURFACE UP TO FL190 ON THE BOI 115 DEG RADIAL AT 38 DME. HE FURTHER ADVISED US THAT ATC WAS NOT REQUIRED TO PROTECT THAT AIRSPACE. ATC OFFERED US A CHOICE OF EITHER FLYING THE AIRWAY (BOI 113 DEG RADIAL) OR GETTING VECTORS AROUND THE ROCKET LAUNCH SITE. WE OPTED TO FLY AROUND IT. WHEN QUERIED, CTR TOLD US THAT IT WASN'T A MIL OP. BUT THEY ALSO DIDN'T THINK THAT IT WAS JUST A COUPLE OF 'BREAD BOXES' THAT WERE BEING SHOT INTO THE AIR. WE NEVER SAW, HEARD OR NOTICED ANYTHING UNUSUAL. BUT NEITHER OF US COULD UNDERSTAND HOW IT IS POSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE TO SHOOT 'ROCKETS' INTO A KNOWN AIRWAY ALL THE WAY UP TO FL190! IS THIS REALLY LEGAL? A GOOD IDEA!? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE WAS COMPLETELY ASTOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT A ROCKET CAPABLE OF REACHING FL190 WOULD BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE ADJACENT TO AN AIRWAY AND INTO POSITIVE CTL AIRSPACE. HE BELIEVES THAT EVEN IF ACFT ARE VECTORED AROUND THE AREA IT IS STILL NOT SAFE SINCE THE LACK OF CTL OF THE ROCKET IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THE ROCKET WOULD STAY IN THE IMMEDIATE AIRSPACE OVER THE LAUNCH SIGHT. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE AIRWAY ON WHICH HE WAS INBOUND TO BOISE, IDAHO, IS THE ONLY AND MAIN AIR RTE INTO AND OUT OF BOISE, IDAHO! THEREFORE, MANY ACFT BOTH VFR AND IFR ARE EXPOSED TO THIS HAZARD. VFR TFC MAY NOT HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE ATC NOTICE GIVEN TO THE RPTR. IN ADDITION, THE FIRE AND HEAT FROM THE ROCKET MOTOR, CREATES A HIGH POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD TO ANY ACFT THAT IT MIGHT COLLIDE WITH. HE HOPES THAT THE SIGHT WILL BE MOVED WELL AWAY FROM THE BUSY AIRWAY IN WHICH IT IS PRESENTLY LOCATED. CALLBACK II CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CONTACTED ZLC AND BOI FSDO REGARDING RPTRS CONCERN ABOUT NON PROTECTION OF AIRSPACE. ZLC PROCS SPECIALIST ADVISED THEY KNEW ABOUT THE OP AND THAT BOI FSDO HAD ISSUED A WAIVER REGARDING THE PROPOSED ROCKET FIRING. THEY WERE CONTACTED AS THE WAIVER STATED BEFORE FIRING OCCURRED. BOI FSDO, BECAUSE OF OUR INQUIRY, PULLED THE WAIVER AND REVIEWED THE PROCS. THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE WAIVER SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO FL190 BUT TO ONLY 6000 FT AGL. THEY FURTHER STATED THAT THE ONLY FIRING PERIOD LEFT IS ON OCT/XX/95 AND CORRECTIONS WILL BE MADE TO THE WAIVER OR IT COULD BE CANCELED.

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.