Narrative:

In sum: reporter at waco regional airport is concerned about a growing problem with uncontrolled VFR aircraft operating in class D airspace frequently conflicting with IFR traffic. Waco approach has airspace to 12000 ft, controls traffic to numerous airports in the area which are used for practice approachs by a large mix of traffic. The reporter is concerned for the safety of the traffic due to the high incidence of evasive maneuvers caused by encounters with unknown VFR traffic operating in the area and believes a different class of airspace is needed. The reporter cites several similar instances of nmacs occurring during his shift in jul/98. 1 such example reported involves an SF34 commuter climbing out of waco regional to dfw to an altitude of 10000 ft indicated. A VFR GA aircraft calls for radar services level at 6500 ft. After radar identing the VFR aircraft, it was necessary to stop the climbing commuter at 6000 ft to avoid a collision. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated facility does not meet upgrade qualification and that facility management is aware of the problem. The traffic congestion occurs mostly on wkends and when the WX is VFR. Popups are a big problem, usually students training. Use ATIS to alert pilots when practice approachs are being conducted at various airports in the local area. Facility has 3 approach position but usually has only 2 staffed. When dfw made airspace changes, waco picked up additional airspace in southeast corner of dfw and work commuter aircraft into dfw. Facility meets with local pilot groups in the area and encourages use of radar services.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WACO APCH TWR IS A LEVEL 3 FACILITY, OPERATING WITH A CLASS D AIRSPACE, AND A MIX OF ALL TYPES OF ACFT. RPTR BELIEVES AIRSPACE SHOULD BE UPGRADED TO AT LEAST A CLASS C AIRSPACE.

Narrative: IN SUM: RPTR AT WACO REGIONAL ARPT IS CONCERNED ABOUT A GROWING PROB WITH UNCTLED VFR ACFT OPERATING IN CLASS D AIRSPACE FREQUENTLY CONFLICTING WITH IFR TFC. WACO APCH HAS AIRSPACE TO 12000 FT, CTLS TFC TO NUMEROUS ARPTS IN THE AREA WHICH ARE USED FOR PRACTICE APCHS BY A LARGE MIX OF TFC. THE RPTR IS CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE TFC DUE TO THE HIGH INCIDENCE OF EVASIVE MANEUVERS CAUSED BY ENCOUNTERS WITH UNKNOWN VFR TFC OPERATING IN THE AREA AND BELIEVES A DIFFERENT CLASS OF AIRSPACE IS NEEDED. THE RPTR CITES SEVERAL SIMILAR INSTANCES OF NMACS OCCURRING DURING HIS SHIFT IN JUL/98. 1 SUCH EXAMPLE RPTED INVOLVES AN SF34 COMMUTER CLBING OUT OF WACO REGIONAL TO DFW TO AN ALT OF 10000 FT INDICATED. A VFR GA ACFT CALLS FOR RADAR SVCS LEVEL AT 6500 FT. AFTER RADAR IDENTING THE VFR ACFT, IT WAS NECESSARY TO STOP THE CLBING COMMUTER AT 6000 FT TO AVOID A COLLISION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED FACILITY DOES NOT MEET UPGRADE QUALIFICATION AND THAT FACILITY MGMNT IS AWARE OF THE PROB. THE TFC CONGESTION OCCURS MOSTLY ON WKENDS AND WHEN THE WX IS VFR. POPUPS ARE A BIG PROB, USUALLY STUDENTS TRAINING. USE ATIS TO ALERT PLTS WHEN PRACTICE APCHS ARE BEING CONDUCTED AT VARIOUS ARPTS IN THE LCL AREA. FACILITY HAS 3 APCH POS BUT USUALLY HAS ONLY 2 STAFFED. WHEN DFW MADE AIRSPACE CHANGES, WACO PICKED UP ADDITIONAL AIRSPACE IN SE CORNER OF DFW AND WORK COMMUTER ACFT INTO DFW. FACILITY MEETS WITH LCL PLT GROUPS IN THE AREA AND ENCOURAGES USE OF RADAR SVCS.

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.