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Class C airspace confign at abi has an ATC reporter concerned with a VFR traffic pattern at the nearby elmdale airport (6f4). Class C airspace was specifically designed to allow VFR traffic to operate at 6f4 airport without an ATC clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 332784 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199604 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : abi |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3200 msl bound upper : 3200 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : abi tower : abi tracon : acy |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | PA-60 600 Aerostar |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other |
| Route In Use | approach : visual arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | PA-18/19 Super Cub |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 15 flight time total : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 332784 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 200 vertical : 100 |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
The abilene class C airspace surface area has a pie- shaped cutout northeast of abi regional airport to allow VFR aircraft (including no radio, no transponder) to transit to/from elmdale airpark. Elmdale airpark is approximately 1.8 NM northeast of abi airport. The pattern altitude at elmdale airpark is 2300 ft MSL, or elmdale airpark aircraft fly in their pattern without contact with abi ATCT. Abi VOR a approachs to runway 17L circle east of abi airport and turn base descending onto final just south of elmdale. This is potentially dangerous. What happened today is that a piper cub at elmdale was flying into a stiff south wind (180 degrees at 25 KTS gusting 35 KTS) and was hovering directly above elmdale at approximately (visually determined, no transponder) at 3200-3400 ft MSL. Atx a, a PA60, had been cleared by abi approach control for a visual to runway 17R. He passed very close to the piper and brought the piper to my attention. The moving target indicator on the radar prevented me from seeing a primary target. Solution: include elmdale airpark in abi class C surface area.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CLASS C AIRSPACE CONFIGN AT ABI HAS AN ATC RPTR CONCERNED WITH A VFR TFC PATTERN AT THE NEARBY ELMDALE ARPT (6F4). CLASS C AIRSPACE WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ALLOW VFR TFC TO OPERATE AT 6F4 ARPT WITHOUT AN ATC CLRNC.
Narrative: THE ABILENE CLASS C AIRSPACE SURFACE AREA HAS A PIE- SHAPED CUTOUT NE OF ABI REGIONAL ARPT TO ALLOW VFR ACFT (INCLUDING NO RADIO, NO XPONDER) TO TRANSIT TO/FROM ELMDALE AIRPARK. ELMDALE AIRPARK IS APPROX 1.8 NM NE OF ABI ARPT. THE PATTERN ALT AT ELMDALE AIRPARK IS 2300 FT MSL, OR ELMDALE AIRPARK ACFT FLY IN THEIR PATTERN WITHOUT CONTACT WITH ABI ATCT. ABI VOR A APCHS TO RWY 17L CIRCLE E OF ABI ARPT AND TURN BASE DSNDING ONTO FINAL JUST S OF ELMDALE. THIS IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. WHAT HAPPENED TODAY IS THAT A PIPER CUB AT ELMDALE WAS FLYING INTO A STIFF S WIND (180 DEGS AT 25 KTS GUSTING 35 KTS) AND WAS HOVERING DIRECTLY ABOVE ELMDALE AT APPROX (VISUALLY DETERMINED, NO XPONDER) AT 3200-3400 FT MSL. ATX A, A PA60, HAD BEEN CLRED BY ABI APCH CTL FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 17R. HE PASSED VERY CLOSE TO THE PIPER AND BROUGHT THE PIPER TO MY ATTN. THE MOVING TARGET INDICATOR ON THE RADAR PREVENTED ME FROM SEEING A PRIMARY TARGET. SOLUTION: INCLUDE ELMDALE AIRPARK IN ABI CLASS C SURFACE AREA.
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.