Narrative:

Runway 17 at sdf is new construction. Due to a tall radio tower on the departure path, about 5 NM downrange from the runway, takeoff weights are dramatically reduced if a straight-out departure is flown and engine failure occurs at V1. Because of the large weight penalty (read: revenue) an alternate procedure was developed for turboprop aircraft. Company officials, FAA and sdf airport board cooperated in designing the new procedure. This procedure requires a crew to initiate 'a 15 degree banked climbing left turn, commenced at do.5 ifki ILS DME (111.95) to a magnetic heading of 325 degrees. Intercept and track outbound on the ipki (back course) localizer. This procedure valid for aircraft with V2 less than 145 KIAS.' the procedure is hazardous and presents immediate danger to crews of turboprop aircraft for the following reasons: 1) the procedure is complex and no training is provided. 2) the procedure is not normally flown, in fact it is specifically permitted only during single engine operations. 3) it would only be required at high operating weights. While the procedure is well within the capabilities of the aircraft, requiring such maneuvering during critical engine out conditions risks loss of aircraft and lives. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he has discussed this with his company program manager, company safety officers and with alpa. The company response has been disappointing. They indicate that we have to operate out of sdf and the airport board is intransigent on any change of the procedure due to interference with arriving or departing traffic on other runways. The company has put a representative to work on finding some form of design change but not much luck so far. Alpa is discussing the procedure directly with the company and reporter is not aware of how things stand there. Meanwhile, reporter in his line checks is suggesting to flcs to avoid use of runway 17 if at all possible and to consider it a dangerous procedure. Analyst suggested the hotline but reporter is a bit reluctant since the FAA was involved in the design of the procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT RPT REGARDING A POORLY DESIGNED DEP PROC WHEN E120 BECOMES SINGLE ENG OP.

Narrative: RWY 17 AT SDF IS NEW CONSTRUCTION. DUE TO A TALL RADIO TWR ON THE DEP PATH, ABOUT 5 NM DOWNRANGE FROM THE RWY, TKOF WTS ARE DRAMATICALLY REDUCED IF A STRAIGHT-OUT DEP IS FLOWN AND ENG FAILURE OCCURS AT V1. BECAUSE OF THE LARGE WT PENALTY (READ: REVENUE) AN ALTERNATE PROC WAS DEVELOPED FOR TURBOPROP ACFT. COMPANY OFFICIALS, FAA AND SDF ARPT BOARD COOPERATED IN DESIGNING THE NEW PROC. THIS PROC REQUIRES A CREW TO INITIATE 'A 15 DEG BANKED CLBING L TURN, COMMENCED AT DO.5 IFKI ILS DME (111.95) TO A MAGNETIC HDG OF 325 DEGS. INTERCEPT AND TRACK OUTBOUND ON THE IPKI (BACK COURSE) LOC. THIS PROC VALID FOR ACFT WITH V2 LESS THAN 145 KIAS.' THE PROC IS HAZARDOUS AND PRESENTS IMMEDIATE DANGER TO CREWS OF TURBOPROP ACFT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: 1) THE PROC IS COMPLEX AND NO TRAINING IS PROVIDED. 2) THE PROC IS NOT NORMALLY FLOWN, IN FACT IT IS SPECIFICALLY PERMITTED ONLY DURING SINGLE ENG OPS. 3) IT WOULD ONLY BE REQUIRED AT HIGH OPERATING WTS. WHILE THE PROC IS WELL WITHIN THE CAPABILITIES OF THE ACFT, REQUIRING SUCH MANEUVERING DURING CRITICAL ENG OUT CONDITIONS RISKS LOSS OF ACFT AND LIVES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE HAS DISCUSSED THIS WITH HIS COMPANY PROGRAM MANAGER, COMPANY SAFETY OFFICERS AND WITH ALPA. THE COMPANY RESPONSE HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTING. THEY INDICATE THAT WE HAVE TO OPERATE OUT OF SDF AND THE ARPT BOARD IS INTRANSIGENT ON ANY CHANGE OF THE PROC DUE TO INTERFERENCE WITH ARRIVING OR DEPARTING TFC ON OTHER RWYS. THE COMPANY HAS PUT A REPRESENTATIVE TO WORK ON FINDING SOME FORM OF DESIGN CHANGE BUT NOT MUCH LUCK SO FAR. ALPA IS DISCUSSING THE PROC DIRECTLY WITH THE COMPANY AND RPTR IS NOT AWARE OF HOW THINGS STAND THERE. MEANWHILE, RPTR IN HIS LINE CHKS IS SUGGESTING TO FLCS TO AVOID USE OF RWY 17 IF AT ALL POSSIBLE AND TO CONSIDER IT A DANGEROUS PROC. ANALYST SUGGESTED THE HOTLINE BUT RPTR IS A BIT RELUCTANT SINCE THE FAA WAS INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN OF THE PROC.

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.