Sf-3 pilot concerned regarding sbp tower's handling of circling approachs.

Attributes
ACN	585190
Time
Date	200306
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sbp.airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sbp.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340B
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 11
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : circling approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sbp.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	585190
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We were given the ILS for runway 11 circle-to-land runway 29 by ZLA, for landing at the sbp airport. After completing the ILS we circled south of the airport for runway 29. The tower reported traffic on a right downwind to base for runway 29. We were within the limitations for the circling maneuver for the runway. We reported the traffic was not in sight and reported turning base for runway 29. The tower then had the traffic on the right base do a 360 degree turn to follow us. I have spoken with the sbp tower and I have informed them of the circle-to-land maneuver. The problem here is that the sbp tower is trying to fit IFR traffic in with VFR traffic using VFR rules. The sbp tower is a non radar tower and cannot change any clearance that ZLA would give us, ie, visual approach. Due to the limitations of the circle-to-land maneuver, it is impossible to follow a single engine aircraft that is in the VFR traffic pattern.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SF-3 PLT CONCERNED REGARDING SBP TWR'S HANDLING OF CIRCLING APCHS.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN THE ILS FOR RWY 11 CIRCLE-TO-LAND RWY 29 BY ZLA, FOR LNDG AT THE SBP ARPT. AFTER COMPLETING THE ILS WE CIRCLED S OF THE ARPT FOR RWY 29. THE TWR RPTED TFC ON A R DOWNWIND TO BASE FOR RWY 29. WE WERE WITHIN THE LIMITATIONS FOR THE CIRCLING MANEUVER FOR THE RWY. WE RPTED THE TFC WAS NOT IN SIGHT AND RPTED TURNING BASE FOR RWY 29. THE TWR THEN HAD THE TFC ON THE R BASE DO A 360 DEG TURN TO FOLLOW US. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE SBP TWR AND I HAVE INFORMED THEM OF THE CIRCLE-TO-LAND MANEUVER. THE PROB HERE IS THAT THE SBP TWR IS TRYING TO FIT IFR TFC IN WITH VFR TFC USING VFR RULES. THE SBP TWR IS A NON RADAR TWR AND CANNOT CHANGE ANY CLRNC THAT ZLA WOULD GIVE US, IE, VISUAL APCH. DUE TO THE LIMITATIONS OF THE CIRCLE-TO-LAND MANEUVER, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOW A SINGLE ENG ACFT THAT IS IN THE VFR TFC PATTERN.

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.