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Pilot flying VFR into pao from the southeast cites several problems with the radar service being provided by bay TRACON.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 411348 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199808 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sjc airport : pao |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : oak |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 411348 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
| Airport | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
Under control of bay approach inbound from the south to southeast (from king city). Contacted bay approach for landing at pao (palo alto) bay assigned squawk code and vectored over sjc at 3000 ft MSL for turn onto an approach to pao which is idented to VOR runway 30 for pao (286 degree heading from sjc). Bay authority/authorized descent, and then, just after penetrating moffett field airspace bay says: 'radar services terminated, squawk VFR, remain clear of moffett airspace, contact tower 118.6.' this is essentially impossible to do -- you cannot contact moffett field (119.55) get permission to transition in time (you are already in moffett airspace when bay drops you) and then go the pao tower. (And, obviously, insisting that you are 'unable' to bay is very disruptive to what is actually a safe practice by bay -- they're just shedding load on what is a done deal -- pao is in sight and there is no traffic.) upon contacting pao tower they query whether or not you're talking to moffett and warn you if you haven't contacted them. This happens repeatedly.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT FLYING VFR INTO PAO FROM THE SE CITES SEVERAL PROBS WITH THE RADAR SVC BEING PROVIDED BY BAY TRACON.
Narrative: UNDER CTL OF BAY APCH INBOUND FROM THE S TO SE (FROM KING CITY). CONTACTED BAY APCH FOR LNDG AT PAO (PALO ALTO) BAY ASSIGNED SQUAWK CODE AND VECTORED OVER SJC AT 3000 FT MSL FOR TURN ONTO AN APCH TO PAO WHICH IS IDENTED TO VOR RWY 30 FOR PAO (286 DEG HDG FROM SJC). BAY AUTH DSCNT, AND THEN, JUST AFTER PENETRATING MOFFETT FIELD AIRSPACE BAY SAYS: 'RADAR SVCS TERMINATED, SQUAWK VFR, REMAIN CLR OF MOFFETT AIRSPACE, CONTACT TWR 118.6.' THIS IS ESSENTIALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DO -- YOU CANNOT CONTACT MOFFETT FIELD (119.55) GET PERMISSION TO TRANSITION IN TIME (YOU ARE ALREADY IN MOFFETT AIRSPACE WHEN BAY DROPS YOU) AND THEN GO THE PAO TWR. (AND, OBVIOUSLY, INSISTING THAT YOU ARE 'UNABLE' TO BAY IS VERY DISRUPTIVE TO WHAT IS ACTUALLY A SAFE PRACTICE BY BAY -- THEY'RE JUST SHEDDING LOAD ON WHAT IS A DONE DEAL -- PAO IS IN SIGHT AND THERE IS NO TFC.) UPON CONTACTING PAO TWR THEY QUERY WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE TALKING TO MOFFETT AND WARN YOU IF YOU HAVEN'T CONTACTED THEM. THIS HAPPENS REPEATEDLY.
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.