Narrative:

An unsafe situation exists in the airspace of south florida that needs some consideration. I am told that an 'LOA' exists between the miami ATC center and palm beach approach control that requires aircraft departing from pbia airspace to the east, or returning to pbia airspace from the east to stay below 6000 ft for 40 mi. Just yesterday, when returning to pbia from the bahamas, I was instructed to descend to 6000 ft before reaching 42 mi to the east of pbia. Not only does this cause extreme discomfort to the passenger because it causes the pilots to fly through building cumulous clouds, but it also causes airplanes that are designed to fly at high altitudes to burn a significant amount of additional fuel. In addition to these 2 problems, the restrs of these LOA's create the possibility that the pilot may inadvertently violate one or more of the following FARS: 91.13, 91.103, 91.119, 91.123, 91.151, and 91.167. I am sure that the supervisors of the ZMA will say that these LOA's are necessary in order to provide a safe environment to the aircraft arriving from the northeastern us, however, it is creating an unsafe environment for those of us who are departing from and returning to these same south florida airports. There must be a better way!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PBI AIRSPACE USER EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION REGARDING ALT LIMITATIONS IMPOSED BY ZMA AND PBI LOA.

Narrative: AN UNSAFE SIT EXISTS IN THE AIRSPACE OF SOUTH FLORIDA THAT NEEDS SOME CONSIDERATION. I AM TOLD THAT AN 'LOA' EXISTS BTWN THE MIAMI ATC CTR AND PALM BEACH APCH CTL THAT REQUIRES ACFT DEPARTING FROM PBIA AIRSPACE TO THE E, OR RETURNING TO PBIA AIRSPACE FROM THE E TO STAY BELOW 6000 FT FOR 40 MI. JUST YESTERDAY, WHEN RETURNING TO PBIA FROM THE BAHAMAS, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO DSND TO 6000 FT BEFORE REACHING 42 MI TO THE E OF PBIA. NOT ONLY DOES THIS CAUSE EXTREME DISCOMFORT TO THE PAX BECAUSE IT CAUSES THE PLTS TO FLY THROUGH BUILDING CUMULOUS CLOUDS, BUT IT ALSO CAUSES AIRPLANES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO FLY AT HIGH ALTS TO BURN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL FUEL. IN ADDITION TO THESE 2 PROBS, THE RESTRS OF THESE LOA'S CREATE THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE PLT MAY INADVERTENTLY VIOLATE ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING FARS: 91.13, 91.103, 91.119, 91.123, 91.151, AND 91.167. I AM SURE THAT THE SUPVRS OF THE ZMA WILL SAY THAT THESE LOA'S ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT TO THE ACFT ARRIVING FROM THE NORTHEASTERN US, HOWEVER, IT IS CREATING AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE DEPARTING FROM AND RETURNING TO THESE SAME SOUTH FLORIDA ARPTS. THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY!

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.