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While on downwind, a C310 pilot with a controller background advises aex local controller that he will call his own base leg. He refused to allow the tower to 'call his base' for him, saying it was not an authority/authorized procedure according to the controller's handbook.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 404328 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199806 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : aex |
| State Reference | LA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : aex |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument |
| Experience | controller military : 3 controller non radar : 1 controller supervisory : 2 flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1300 |
| ASRS Report | 404328 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
On arriving aex, I reported entering left downwind runway 14 to the control tower. Aex tower cleared me to extend downwind 'I will call your base.' I advised aex tower, which has no radar, that 'I will call my base.' I extended downwind, cleared for traffic, then turned base and advised tower. Experience has shown me that a non radar tower calling 'base' for aircraft leads to dangerous conflicts. The distance from tower to aircraft is commonly 4 mi or more when tower attempts to sequence aircraft visually. It also leads to errors in sequencing and slowing of traffic due to extended patterns. This often takes single engine aircraft over unsuitable terrain, increasing hazards in the event of engine failure. 'I'll call your base' by VFR tower controllers is unsafe, inefficient, and unauthorized by far 7110.8. 'I'll call your base' should not be used.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: WHILE ON DOWNWIND, A C310 PLT WITH A CTLR BACKGROUND ADVISES AEX LCL CTLR THAT HE WILL CALL HIS OWN BASE LEG. HE REFUSED TO ALLOW THE TWR TO 'CALL HIS BASE' FOR HIM, SAYING IT WAS NOT AN AUTH PROC ACCORDING TO THE CTLR'S HANDBOOK.
Narrative: ON ARRIVING AEX, I RPTED ENTERING L DOWNWIND RWY 14 TO THE CTL TWR. AEX TWR CLRED ME TO EXTEND DOWNWIND 'I WILL CALL YOUR BASE.' I ADVISED AEX TWR, WHICH HAS NO RADAR, THAT 'I WILL CALL MY BASE.' I EXTENDED DOWNWIND, CLRED FOR TFC, THEN TURNED BASE AND ADVISED TWR. EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN ME THAT A NON RADAR TWR CALLING 'BASE' FOR ACFT LEADS TO DANGEROUS CONFLICTS. THE DISTANCE FROM TWR TO ACFT IS COMMONLY 4 MI OR MORE WHEN TWR ATTEMPTS TO SEQUENCE ACFT VISUALLY. IT ALSO LEADS TO ERRORS IN SEQUENCING AND SLOWING OF TFC DUE TO EXTENDED PATTERNS. THIS OFTEN TAKES SINGLE ENG ACFT OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN, INCREASING HAZARDS IN THE EVENT OF ENG FAILURE. 'I'LL CALL YOUR BASE' BY VFR TWR CTLRS IS UNSAFE, INEFFICIENT, AND UNAUTH BY FAR 7110.8. 'I'LL CALL YOUR BASE' SHOULD NOT BE USED.
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.