Narrative:

Jfk was on the VOR runway 13L approach (a curved approach that requires the aircraft to visually follow lead-in lights for the last 5 mi), and it was very hazy WX. A B777 had already lined up for wrong runway prior to the incident in question, and had to be sent around. I was working a helicopter that was wbound on the track routing (about 1/2 way between jfk and lga) at 1000 ft. The A340 appeared to be delaying its turn to final, and I instructed it to turn immediately towards the airport (fearing that it would conflict with the helicopter). The helicopter had the A340 in sight and was actually above it. The A340 landed runway 13L. In the meantime, a B747 was turned over to me on approach with minimum separation behind the A340 and the B747 was much faster. Thus, I had to 'scramble' to get the B747 to slow down so that it could land. Since the A340 'overshot' the final and had to turn back, its extra flying mi made it obvious that the B747 could not stay behind him and would have to be taken off of the approach. Since we have very limited airspace at jfk, a missed approach on this confign normally has to be taken over the top of the airport. I instructed the B747 to continue on a northeast heading, so that he would pass behind (and above) the A340, then turned him eastbound (just north of jfk airport), and then sbound. The helicopter was far enough west that it was no factor for the B747 by this time. In conclusion, this was an ugly situation but it could have been worse. There is no room for error (very limited airspace) in this situation, especially when helicopters are between jfk and lga. The 'track routing' is used a lot, however, maybe we should not use it during MVFR WX when jfk is on this approach. Finally, since airspace issues normally prevent us from using the ILS runway 13L approach, we desperately need a precision approach that follows the VOR runway 13L path!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: JFK LCL CTLR CONCERNED ABOUT JFK AND LGA AIRSPACE, APCH AND VFR HELI ROUTINGS AND SUGGESTS A NEED FOR A PRECISION APCH PROC THAT MIRRORS THE JFK VOR RWY 13L APCH PROC.

Narrative: JFK WAS ON THE VOR RWY 13L APCH (A CURVED APCH THAT REQUIRES THE ACFT TO VISUALLY FOLLOW LEAD-IN LIGHTS FOR THE LAST 5 MI), AND IT WAS VERY HAZY WX. A B777 HAD ALREADY LINED UP FOR WRONG RWY PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT IN QUESTION, AND HAD TO BE SENT AROUND. I WAS WORKING A HELI THAT WAS WBOUND ON THE TRACK ROUTING (ABOUT 1/2 WAY BTWN JFK AND LGA) AT 1000 FT. THE A340 APPEARED TO BE DELAYING ITS TURN TO FINAL, AND I INSTRUCTED IT TO TURN IMMEDIATELY TOWARDS THE ARPT (FEARING THAT IT WOULD CONFLICT WITH THE HELI). THE HELI HAD THE A340 IN SIGHT AND WAS ACTUALLY ABOVE IT. THE A340 LANDED RWY 13L. IN THE MEANTIME, A B747 WAS TURNED OVER TO ME ON APCH WITH MINIMUM SEPARATION BEHIND THE A340 AND THE B747 WAS MUCH FASTER. THUS, I HAD TO 'SCRAMBLE' TO GET THE B747 TO SLOW DOWN SO THAT IT COULD LAND. SINCE THE A340 'OVERSHOT' THE FINAL AND HAD TO TURN BACK, ITS EXTRA FLYING MI MADE IT OBVIOUS THAT THE B747 COULD NOT STAY BEHIND HIM AND WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN OFF OF THE APCH. SINCE WE HAVE VERY LIMITED AIRSPACE AT JFK, A MISSED APCH ON THIS CONFIGN NORMALLY HAS TO BE TAKEN OVER THE TOP OF THE ARPT. I INSTRUCTED THE B747 TO CONTINUE ON A NE HDG, SO THAT HE WOULD PASS BEHIND (AND ABOVE) THE A340, THEN TURNED HIM EBOUND (JUST N OF JFK ARPT), AND THEN SBOUND. THE HELI WAS FAR ENOUGH W THAT IT WAS NO FACTOR FOR THE B747 BY THIS TIME. IN CONCLUSION, THIS WAS AN UGLY SIT BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE. THERE IS NO ROOM FOR ERROR (VERY LIMITED AIRSPACE) IN THIS SIT, ESPECIALLY WHEN HELIS ARE BTWN JFK AND LGA. THE 'TRACK ROUTING' IS USED A LOT, HOWEVER, MAYBE WE SHOULD NOT USE IT DURING MVFR WX WHEN JFK IS ON THIS APCH. FINALLY, SINCE AIRSPACE ISSUES NORMALLY PREVENT US FROM USING THE ILS RWY 13L APCH, WE DESPERATELY NEED A PRECISION APCH THAT FOLLOWS THE VOR RWY 13L PATH!

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.