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TRACON approach controller concerned about observed situation. Controller xferred control of small aircraft to ZJX when conflict alert activated with other alleged military T34 aircraft, just ZJX control area. Controller suggests military move training operations to another area. Also, alleges facility management refuses to correct the problem.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 410645 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199808 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : nse |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zjx tracon : pns |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Mentor (T-34) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 8 |
| ASRS Report | 410645 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
Aircraft #1 was at 7000 ft direct rmg. The on course route took him through the departure gate to ZJX. I had switched him to ZJX frequency 6 mi prior to the airspace boundary. At the boundary I observed a VFR target indicating 8500 ft MSL. The next time I scanned the traffic the targets were about to merge with the VFR target now indicating 7500 ft MSL. The conflict alert activated and the mode C's were no longer indicated due to proximity. After they passed I checked the VFR target's beacon code. It was XXXX, which indicates a military T34 (aircraft #2) conducting aerobatic maneuvers. Neither aircraft was on my frequency and I don't know if ZJX observed the traffic. Pns approach control has 6 departure gates with bordering radar facilities averaging 6 mi across. At any given time, there can be up to 4 T34's conducting aerobatic maneuvers in any of these areas. These aircraft are not on approach frequency. I feel these activities in our departure areas are unsafe and the military needs to conduct them in a remote area away from our crowded airspace. FAA management is aware of this ongoing practice and refuses to correct the problem. They claim they cannot influence military procedures. This continuing practice is an accident waiting to happen.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: TRACON APCH CTLR CONCERNED ABOUT OBSERVED SIT. CTLR XFERRED CTL OF SMA TO ZJX WHEN CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED WITH OTHER ALLEGED MIL T34 ACFT, JUST ZJX CTL AREA. CTLR SUGGESTS MIL MOVE TRAINING OPS TO ANOTHER AREA. ALSO, ALLEGES FACILITY MGMNT REFUSES TO CORRECT THE PROB.
Narrative: ACFT #1 WAS AT 7000 FT DIRECT RMG. THE ON COURSE RTE TOOK HIM THROUGH THE DEP GATE TO ZJX. I HAD SWITCHED HIM TO ZJX FREQ 6 MI PRIOR TO THE AIRSPACE BOUNDARY. AT THE BOUNDARY I OBSERVED A VFR TARGET INDICATING 8500 FT MSL. THE NEXT TIME I SCANNED THE TFC THE TARGETS WERE ABOUT TO MERGE WITH THE VFR TARGET NOW INDICATING 7500 FT MSL. THE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED AND THE MODE C'S WERE NO LONGER INDICATED DUE TO PROX. AFTER THEY PASSED I CHKED THE VFR TARGET'S BEACON CODE. IT WAS XXXX, WHICH INDICATES A MIL T34 (ACFT #2) CONDUCTING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. NEITHER ACFT WAS ON MY FREQ AND I DON'T KNOW IF ZJX OBSERVED THE TFC. PNS APCH CTL HAS 6 DEP GATES WITH BORDERING RADAR FACILITIES AVERAGING 6 MI ACROSS. AT ANY GIVEN TIME, THERE CAN BE UP TO 4 T34'S CONDUCTING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS IN ANY OF THESE AREAS. THESE ACFT ARE NOT ON APCH FREQ. I FEEL THESE ACTIVITIES IN OUR DEP AREAS ARE UNSAFE AND THE MIL NEEDS TO CONDUCT THEM IN A REMOTE AREA AWAY FROM OUR CROWDED AIRSPACE. FAA MGMNT IS AWARE OF THIS ONGOING PRACTICE AND REFUSES TO CORRECT THE PROB. THEY CLAIM THEY CANNOT INFLUENCE MIL PROCS. THIS CONTINUING PRACTICE IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.
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.