Narrative:

I am an air traffic controller currently working at (GGG) longview TRACON, longview, tx. I am reporting an unsafe possibility for aircraft collision or operational conflict. Due to our LOA with xyz flight department, and notice GGG N7110.12 dated feb/xx/97, there exists the possibility for flight training aircraft in 3 separate areas to leave those areas at the same time and shoot an approach into the gregg county airport. The wording in notice 7110.12 states, 'clearance delivery shall issue xyz aircraft requesting quadrant clrncs a clearance to the gregg county airport via the requested quadrant (north high/low, southeast high/low and southwest) at 4000 ft and shall include an efc. The efc shall be on the hour at least 1 hour after the aircraft calls for clearance.' if aircraft, (possibly 5), all lose radio contact, whether the inoperative radios are the aircraft's or longview approach's radios, a possibility for 5 aircraft converging from equidistant quadrants over the final approach fix exists at the same time by LOA and this notice to GGG 7110. To fix the problem I suggest letting the radar controller clear the aircraft into the area and give the efc. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter said the procedure is for IMC training involving multiple aircraft and is used during IMC conditions. Reporter said he talked with the facility pps regarding the procedure but indicated that nothing has been or will be done to change the procedure. Reporter reiterated that he felt the efc should be issued by the departure controller after the aircraft are cleared to their respective training areas.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATES CONCERN THAT A NEW PROC BTWN FACILITY AND FLT TRAINING SCHOOL COULD POSSIBLY BE UNSAFE IN THE EVENT OF LOST COM WITH APCH CTL. RPTR IMPLIES THERE COULD BE CONFLICT IF MULTIPLE ACFT WITH THE SAME EFC LEAVE THE 3 TRAINING AREAS AND CONVERGE OVER THE FINAL APCH FIX.

Narrative: I AM AN AIR TFC CTLR CURRENTLY WORKING AT (GGG) LONGVIEW TRACON, LONGVIEW, TX. I AM RPTING AN UNSAFE POSSIBILITY FOR ACFT COLLISION OR OPERATIONAL CONFLICT. DUE TO OUR LOA WITH XYZ FLT DEPT, AND NOTICE GGG N7110.12 DATED FEB/XX/97, THERE EXISTS THE POSSIBILITY FOR FLT TRAINING ACFT IN 3 SEPARATE AREAS TO LEAVE THOSE AREAS AT THE SAME TIME AND SHOOT AN APCH INTO THE GREGG COUNTY ARPT. THE WORDING IN NOTICE 7110.12 STATES, 'CLRNC DELIVERY SHALL ISSUE XYZ ACFT REQUESTING QUADRANT CLRNCS A CLRNC TO THE GREGG COUNTY ARPT VIA THE REQUESTED QUADRANT (N HIGH/LOW, SE HIGH/LOW AND SW) AT 4000 FT AND SHALL INCLUDE AN EFC. THE EFC SHALL BE ON THE HR AT LEAST 1 HR AFTER THE ACFT CALLS FOR CLRNC.' IF ACFT, (POSSIBLY 5), ALL LOSE RADIO CONTACT, WHETHER THE INOP RADIOS ARE THE ACFT'S OR LONGVIEW APCH'S RADIOS, A POSSIBILITY FOR 5 ACFT CONVERGING FROM EQUIDISTANT QUADRANTS OVER THE FINAL APCH FIX EXISTS AT THE SAME TIME BY LOA AND THIS NOTICE TO GGG 7110. TO FIX THE PROB I SUGGEST LETTING THE RADAR CTLR CLR THE ACFT INTO THE AREA AND GIVE THE EFC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID THE PROC IS FOR IMC TRAINING INVOLVING MULTIPLE ACFT AND IS USED DURING IMC CONDITIONS. RPTR SAID HE TALKED WITH THE FACILITY PPS REGARDING THE PROC BUT INDICATED THAT NOTHING HAS BEEN OR WILL BE DONE TO CHANGE THE PROC. RPTR REITERATED THAT HE FELT THE EFC SHOULD BE ISSUED BY THE DEP CTLR AFTER THE ACFT ARE CLRED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE TRAINING AREAS.

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.