An ERJ135 flight crew questions sjc tower as to if the provided aircraft spacing is legal.

Attributes
ACN	582247
Time
Date	200305
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.tracon tower : sjc.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 135 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.tracon tower : sjc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8200 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	582347
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Routine flight from to sjc. On vectors for visual approach to sjc runway 12R. Norcal pointed out aircraft Y on vectors for visual to runway 12L and instructed us to keep in sight, maintain 190 KIAS and cleared us visual runway 12R. We overtook the air carrier due to approach directed 190 KIAS speed. Aircraft passed abeam of each other with estimated 1000 ft lateral separation (probably same distance as between san jose's runways 12L/12R runway ctrlines. Air carrier crew asked tower if that was ok. Tower said yes. Our TCASII was, of course, providing RA alerts. While the situation did not appear dangerous, I think some limits should be placed on simultaneous visual approachs to closely spaced parallel runways: 1) no passing! 1 aircraft should be directed to remain behind, 2) TCASII should be switched to TA mode only. 3) perhaps cabin announcement would be good idea to avoid alarming passenger or give them a chance to get cameras ready.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ERJ135 FLT CREW QUESTIONS SJC TWR AS TO IF THE PROVIDED ACFT SPACING IS LEGAL.

Narrative: ROUTINE FLT FROM TO SJC. ON VECTORS FOR VISUAL APCH TO SJC RWY 12R. NORCAL POINTED OUT ACFT Y ON VECTORS FOR VISUAL TO RWY 12L AND INSTRUCTED US TO KEEP IN SIGHT, MAINTAIN 190 KIAS AND CLRED US VISUAL RWY 12R. WE OVERTOOK THE ACR DUE TO APCH DIRECTED 190 KIAS SPD. ACFT PASSED ABEAM OF EACH OTHER WITH ESTIMATED 1000 FT LATERAL SEPARATION (PROBABLY SAME DISTANCE AS BTWN SAN JOSE'S RWYS 12L/12R RWY CTRLINES. ACR CREW ASKED TWR IF THAT WAS OK. TWR SAID YES. OUR TCASII WAS, OF COURSE, PROVIDING RA ALERTS. WHILE THE SIT DID NOT APPEAR DANGEROUS, I THINK SOME LIMITS SHOULD BE PLACED ON SIMULTANEOUS VISUAL APCHS TO CLOSELY SPACED PARALLEL RWYS: 1) NO PASSING! 1 ACFT SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO REMAIN BEHIND, 2) TCASII SHOULD BE SWITCHED TO TA MODE ONLY. 3) PERHAPS CABIN ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD BE GOOD IDEA TO AVOID ALARMING PAX OR GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO GET CAMERAS READY.

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.