Narrative:

I wish to bring to your attention an aviation safety issue at the slc TRACON (S56). Slc airport and the surrounding satellite airports are provided ATC service by the slc tower and TRACON. Due to the number of operations, the airspace surrounding slc airport is designated class B airspace (attachment enclosed). FAA order 7110.65 paragraph 7-9-7 (attachment enclosed) requires that any altitude assigned by ATC to a VFR aircraft while in class B comply with MVA's, MSA's, or minimum IFR altitudes. The criteria for MVA's and minimum IFR altitudes leaves very little room in the salt lake valley for flight at or below 8000 ft MSL. That for the most part seems to be the highest most GA aircraft in our area want to operate at. Attached is a copy of our MVA radar video map. For yrs our facility was not in compliance with FAA order 7110.65 7-9-7. A recent FAA facility evaluation made notice of our old practice and cited the facility for its non compliance. On feb/wed/00 the facility implemented a new operating practice that was intended to correct the problem. Since the use of MVA's or minimum IFR altitudes would make VFR flight through the slc class B impractical, an MSA chart was developed using the requirements of far 91.119 (attachment enclosed). When the facility implemented the new practice on feb/wed/00, a copy of the enclosed map was provided to the controllers. It is important to note that no radar video map was provided but rather a photo copy of the MSA chart was placed at each position. It is also important to note that the lines on the MSA chart do not correlate with the lines used by controllers on the appropriate radar video map in the TRACON. Without a radar videomap, it is impossible for the controllers to accurately and safety assign the proper altitude to a VFR aircraft transiting class B. The best a controller could do would be to make a guess and a good effort to associate the information on the chart to the information on the radar display. We have attempted to work this issue with our local management officials and have had no success in getting the issue resolved. The FAA has ordered a radar video map for controller use but at last estimate, it will not be available for at least 4 more weeks.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATES MVA AND MINIMUM IFR ALTS AT SLC ARE IMPRACTICAL TO USE SO AN MSA CHART HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR USE IN PLACE OF THE MVA MAP.

Narrative: I WISH TO BRING TO YOUR ATTN AN AVIATION SAFETY ISSUE AT THE SLC TRACON (S56). SLC ARPT AND THE SURROUNDING SATELLITE ARPTS ARE PROVIDED ATC SVC BY THE SLC TWR AND TRACON. DUE TO THE NUMBER OF OPS, THE AIRSPACE SURROUNDING SLC ARPT IS DESIGNATED CLASS B AIRSPACE (ATTACHMENT ENCLOSED). FAA ORDER 7110.65 PARAGRAPH 7-9-7 (ATTACHMENT ENCLOSED) REQUIRES THAT ANY ALT ASSIGNED BY ATC TO A VFR ACFT WHILE IN CLASS B COMPLY WITH MVA'S, MSA'S, OR MINIMUM IFR ALTS. THE CRITERIA FOR MVA'S AND MINIMUM IFR ALTS LEAVES VERY LITTLE ROOM IN THE SALT LAKE VALLEY FOR FLT AT OR BELOW 8000 FT MSL. THAT FOR THE MOST PART SEEMS TO BE THE HIGHEST MOST GA ACFT IN OUR AREA WANT TO OPERATE AT. ATTACHED IS A COPY OF OUR MVA RADAR VIDEO MAP. FOR YRS OUR FACILITY WAS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FAA ORDER 7110.65 7-9-7. A RECENT FAA FACILITY EVALUATION MADE NOTICE OF OUR OLD PRACTICE AND CITED THE FACILITY FOR ITS NON COMPLIANCE. ON FEB/WED/00 THE FACILITY IMPLEMENTED A NEW OPERATING PRACTICE THAT WAS INTENDED TO CORRECT THE PROB. SINCE THE USE OF MVA'S OR MINIMUM IFR ALTS WOULD MAKE VFR FLT THROUGH THE SLC CLASS B IMPRACTICAL, AN MSA CHART WAS DEVELOPED USING THE REQUIREMENTS OF FAR 91.119 (ATTACHMENT ENCLOSED). WHEN THE FACILITY IMPLEMENTED THE NEW PRACTICE ON FEB/WED/00, A COPY OF THE ENCLOSED MAP WAS PROVIDED TO THE CTLRS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT NO RADAR VIDEO MAP WAS PROVIDED BUT RATHER A PHOTO COPY OF THE MSA CHART WAS PLACED AT EACH POS. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE LINES ON THE MSA CHART DO NOT CORRELATE WITH THE LINES USED BY CTLRS ON THE APPROPRIATE RADAR VIDEO MAP IN THE TRACON. WITHOUT A RADAR VIDEOMAP, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE CTLRS TO ACCURATELY AND SAFETY ASSIGN THE PROPER ALT TO A VFR ACFT TRANSITING CLASS B. THE BEST A CTLR COULD DO WOULD BE TO MAKE A GUESS AND A GOOD EFFORT TO ASSOCIATE THE INFO ON THE CHART TO THE INFO ON THE RADAR DISPLAY. WE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO WORK THIS ISSUE WITH OUR LCL MGMNT OFFICIALS AND HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS IN GETTING THE ISSUE RESOLVED. THE FAA HAS ORDERED A RADAR VIDEO MAP FOR CTLR USE BUT AT LAST ESTIMATE, IT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR AT LEAST 4 MORE WKS.

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.