Narrative:

Location: 500 ft or approximately 1.67 mi from end of runway 19R. I want to report procedures in use at sna that reduce safety and separation of aircraft on simultaneous approachs to runway 19R&left and sna. Specifically, the practice of soliciting visual contact from both GA and commercial jet aircraft on approach to sna, then abruptly making the pilot responsible for visual separation. This practice at sna includes student and low time private pilots in close proximity to B757 wake turbulence. In my humble opinion, there are alternatives that will increase separation between aircraft and preclude inexperienced pilots from being the sole remaining source of sequence separation of non similar aircraft in close proximity during a critical phase of flight. 1) identify solo students by call sign. 2) preclude student pilots from sole source judgement in this situation. 3) develop breakout procedure for light aircraft entering a potential wake turbulence in trail position relative to B757 aircraft. 4) extend downwind of light aircraft on runway 19L downwind to preclude formation flying on short final with commercial aircraft. 5) identify transient aircraft as not familiar with sna. This can be hazardous to all operations at sna. This problem is historical in origin as the use and operations at sna have changed dramatically and the particular mix of B757 aircraft, while not considered heavy, are indeed great generators of wake turbulence in relation to light GA aircraft. Operations at sna may or may not be marginally legal -- they are not using all the layers of safety available to prevent collision and proper separation. Operations at sna are hazardous.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B757 COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SIMULTANEOUS VISUAL APCHS TO RWY 19L&R DUE TO POSSIBLE UNSAFE WAKE TURB FROM THE LARGE ACFT NEAR TO LIGHT GA ACFT WITH SOMETIMES STUDENT PLTS.

Narrative: LOCATION: 500 FT OR APPROX 1.67 MI FROM END OF RWY 19R. I WANT TO RPT PROCS IN USE AT SNA THAT REDUCE SAFETY AND SEPARATION OF ACFT ON SIMULTANEOUS APCHS TO RWY 19R&L AND SNA. SPECIFICALLY, THE PRACTICE OF SOLICITING VISUAL CONTACT FROM BOTH GA AND COMMERCIAL JET ACFT ON APCH TO SNA, THEN ABRUPTLY MAKING THE PLT RESPONSIBLE FOR VISUAL SEPARATION. THIS PRACTICE AT SNA INCLUDES STUDENT AND LOW TIME PVT PLTS IN CLOSE PROX TO B757 WAKE TURB. IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES THAT WILL INCREASE SEPARATION BTWN ACFT AND PRECLUDE INEXPERIENCED PLTS FROM BEING THE SOLE REMAINING SOURCE OF SEQUENCE SEPARATION OF NON SIMILAR ACFT IN CLOSE PROX DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. 1) IDENT SOLO STUDENTS BY CALL SIGN. 2) PRECLUDE STUDENT PLTS FROM SOLE SOURCE JUDGEMENT IN THIS SIT. 3) DEVELOP BREAKOUT PROC FOR LIGHT ACFT ENTERING A POTENTIAL WAKE TURB IN TRAIL POS RELATIVE TO B757 ACFT. 4) EXTEND DOWNWIND OF LIGHT ACFT ON RWY 19L DOWNWIND TO PRECLUDE FORMATION FLYING ON SHORT FINAL WITH COMMERCIAL ACFT. 5) IDENT TRANSIENT ACFT AS NOT FAMILIAR WITH SNA. THIS CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO ALL OPS AT SNA. THIS PROB IS HISTORICAL IN ORIGIN AS THE USE AND OPS AT SNA HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY AND THE PARTICULAR MIX OF B757 ACFT, WHILE NOT CONSIDERED HVY, ARE INDEED GREAT GENERATORS OF WAKE TURB IN RELATION TO LIGHT GA ACFT. OPS AT SNA MAY OR MAY NOT BE MARGINALLY LEGAL -- THEY ARE NOT USING ALL THE LAYERS OF SAFETY AVAILABLE TO PREVENT COLLISION AND PROPER SEPARATION. OPS AT SNA ARE HAZARDOUS.

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.