ARTCC ZLA controller concerned pilots often confuse las (las vegas, nv) and lvs (las vegas, NM) vort...

Attributes
ACN	566836
Time
Date	200211
Day	Wed
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zla.artcc
State Reference	CA
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 6.5 controller radar : 22 controller time certified in position1 : 2 flight time total : 20
ASRS Report	566836
Events
Independent Detector	other controllera
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Navigational Facility
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Situations
Navigational Aid	LVS.VORTAC
Chart	sectional : l4/h2

Narrative:

Aircraft that depart lax, ont, bur, sna, smo, vny (the los angeles basin) climbing to FL240, en route dag to las. To airports north/east. When the center controller clears the aircraft direct las (las vegas, nv), some pilots confuse this with lvs (las vegas, NM). Even when we (the ZLA controller) emphasize 'nevada' still some pilots confuse both las vegas'. When these pilots turn toward las vegas, NM, by mistake they often are in direct conflict with aircraft arriving lax, ont, bur, smo, vny (the los angeles basin). This confusion of having 2 las vegas vortacs in the NAS needs to be addressed. This confusion also has caused a 'deal' here at ZLA and many 'mini heart attacks' with ATC controllers who work in area B in ZLA. It is not uncommon to change/disassociate an airport from its VORTAC to reduce confusion. Example: den VORTAC to dvv 'mile high' and ind VORTAC to vhp 'brickyard.' my suggestion is to change the las VORTAC to cso 'casino.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC ZLA CTLR CONCERNED PLTS OFTEN CONFUSE LAS (LAS VEGAS, NV) AND LVS (LAS VEGAS, NM) VORTACS, RESULTING IN PLTS TURNING THE WRONG DIRECTION WHEN TOLD TO PROCEED DIRECT LAS VEGAS VOR.

Narrative: ACFT THAT DEPART LAX, ONT, BUR, SNA, SMO, VNY (THE LOS ANGELES BASIN) CLBING TO FL240, ENRTE DAG TO LAS. TO ARPTS N/E. WHEN THE CTR CTLR CLRS THE ACFT DIRECT LAS (LAS VEGAS, NV), SOME PLTS CONFUSE THIS WITH LVS (LAS VEGAS, NM). EVEN WHEN WE (THE ZLA CTLR) EMPHASIZE 'NEVADA' STILL SOME PLTS CONFUSE BOTH LAS VEGAS'. WHEN THESE PLTS TURN TOWARD LAS VEGAS, NM, BY MISTAKE THEY OFTEN ARE IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH ACFT ARRIVING LAX, ONT, BUR, SMO, VNY (THE LOS ANGELES BASIN). THIS CONFUSION OF HAVING 2 LAS VEGAS VORTACS IN THE NAS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THIS CONFUSION ALSO HAS CAUSED A 'DEAL' HERE AT ZLA AND MANY 'MINI HEART ATTACKS' WITH ATC CTLRS WHO WORK IN AREA B IN ZLA. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO CHANGE/DISASSOCIATE AN ARPT FROM ITS VORTAC TO REDUCE CONFUSION. EXAMPLE: DEN VORTAC TO DVV 'MILE HIGH' AND IND VORTAC TO VHP 'BRICKYARD.' MY SUGGESTION IS TO CHANGE THE LAS VORTAC TO CSO 'CASINO.'

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.

ARTCC ZLA controller concerned pilots often confuse las (las vegas, nv) and lvs (las vegas, NM) vortacs, resulting in pilots turning the wrong direction when told to proceed direct las vegas VOR.