Narrative:

Pilot of military X requested to fly the hi tacon 1 runway 23 approach to pope AFB from the IAF on his own navigation. The minimum altitude for the approach on the approach plate is 11000 ft. The aircraft was at 8000 ft initially but due to traffic, I had to descend military X to 6000 ft. I asked my supervisor if the aircraft could do the approach. The supervisor told me as long as the 'aircraft was military wing he could' (military X is a military wing aircraft). When military X reported reaching the IAF inbound at 6000 ft I issued the approach clearance. No problem resulted from the aircraft doing the approach, but it does show that pilots, supervisors, and controllers can be caught off guard by seldom used procedures. This approach has been in place for about 4 yrs. However, except for a few trial runs when the approach was first published it has not been used. The reason it has not been used is because 11000 ft is in ZDC airspace. Because of the amount of coordination required between all parties involved ZDC has never agreed on standard procedures for clearance on the approach. My solution to this would be that our facility should consider the approach unusable and advise the military wing not to request the approach as long as procedures are not in place. This information should be placed in the 'information display system' for all controllers to see when they review it prior to taking a position.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPECIAL MIL APCH PROC ABOVE TRACON'S AIRSPACE CAUSES EXCESSIVE COORD BTWN TRACON AND ARTCC. RPTR CONTENDS THAT THE APCH SHOULD NOT BE USED UNTIL PROPER PROCS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED BTWN THE ARTCC AND TRACON.

Narrative: PLT OF MIL X REQUESTED TO FLY THE HI TACON 1 RWY 23 APCH TO POPE AFB FROM THE IAF ON HIS OWN NAV. THE MINIMUM ALT FOR THE APCH ON THE APCH PLATE IS 11000 FT. THE ACFT WAS AT 8000 FT INITIALLY BUT DUE TO TFC, I HAD TO DSND MIL X TO 6000 FT. I ASKED MY SUPVR IF THE ACFT COULD DO THE APCH. THE SUPVR TOLD ME AS LONG AS THE 'ACFT WAS MIL WING HE COULD' (MIL X IS A MIL WING ACFT). WHEN MIL X RPTED REACHING THE IAF INBOUND AT 6000 FT I ISSUED THE APCH CLRNC. NO PROB RESULTED FROM THE ACFT DOING THE APCH, BUT IT DOES SHOW THAT PLTS, SUPVRS, AND CTLRS CAN BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY SELDOM USED PROCS. THIS APCH HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR ABOUT 4 YRS. HOWEVER, EXCEPT FOR A FEW TRIAL RUNS WHEN THE APCH WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IT HAS NOT BEEN USED. THE REASON IT HAS NOT BEEN USED IS BECAUSE 11000 FT IS IN ZDC AIRSPACE. BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF COORD REQUIRED BTWN ALL PARTIES INVOLVED ZDC HAS NEVER AGREED ON STANDARD PROCS FOR CLRNC ON THE APCH. MY SOLUTION TO THIS WOULD BE THAT OUR FACILITY SHOULD CONSIDER THE APCH UNUSABLE AND ADVISE THE MIL WING NOT TO REQUEST THE APCH AS LONG AS PROCS ARE NOT IN PLACE. THIS INFO SHOULD BE PLACED IN THE 'INFO DISPLAY SYS' FOR ALL CTLRS TO SEE WHEN THEY REVIEW IT PRIOR TO TAKING A POS.

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.