Narrative:

I was flying the aircraft on runway heading at approximately 2500 ft MSL at midfield over runway 1R when my copilot requested a closed VFR pattern from the tower. The tower controller cleared us for the closed pattern from present position. I began the right turn before the end of the runway and while in the turn spotted an aircraft off my nose at an estimated 2 mi. The aircraft had a nose high pitch and was climbing. I continued my closed pattern at 3000 ft. I was not advised of this traffic by the tower, nor was I aware of the location of the traffic until I spotted them during my turning maneuver. After visually acquiring the other aircraft, I did not feel that I needed to take any evasive action. In addition, the etcas system on our aircraft did not give a TA or RA. It did not advise or direct any information or action in response to any traffic in the pattern, which is to say that the aircraft system did not consider the traffic a potential hazard. The other aircraft was established in the VFR pattern at 3000 ft MSL on the downwind leg, and climbed to a higher altitude on their own after seeing us turning to downwind at 3000 ft MSL. I believe that the pilot of the other aircraft felt that there was insufficient separation between our 2 aircraft, so he made it clear to the tower controller that he planned to file a report on the event. I believe that the problem arose due to airspace congestion, there were 4 aircraft in the VFR pattern, including us and the other traffic in the discussion, which makes the pattern very full. I believe that the tower should have extended our upwind leg to follow behind the other traffic on downwind, rather than try to 'squeeze' us in front of the downwind traffic. However, after speaking to a tower supervisor after the event, I came to understand that they use 500 ft separation as 'well clear' for the class D airspace in the VFR pattern. The supervisor told me that the radar data indicated that we were separated by 2 mi.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL PLT EXPRESSED CONCERN WITH PROX OF OTHER ACFT IN VFR TFC PATTERN AT MCCONNEL AFB.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE ACFT ON RWY HEADING AT APPROX 2500 FT MSL AT MIDFIELD OVER RWY 1R WHEN MY COPLT REQUESTED A CLOSED VFR PATTERN FROM THE TWR. THE TWR CTLR CLRED US FOR THE CLOSED PATTERN FROM PRESENT POS. I BEGAN THE R TURN BEFORE THE END OF THE RWY AND WHILE IN THE TURN SPOTTED AN ACFT OFF MY NOSE AT AN ESTIMATED 2 MI. THE ACFT HAD A NOSE HIGH PITCH AND WAS CLBING. I CONTINUED MY CLOSED PATTERN AT 3000 FT. I WAS NOT ADVISED OF THIS TFC BY THE TWR, NOR WAS I AWARE OF THE LOCATION OF THE TFC UNTIL I SPOTTED THEM DURING MY TURNING MANEUVER. AFTER VISUALLY ACQUIRING THE OTHER ACFT, I DID NOT FEEL THAT I NEEDED TO TAKE ANY EVASIVE ACTION. IN ADDITION, THE ETCAS SYS ON OUR ACFT DID NOT GIVE A TA OR RA. IT DID NOT ADVISE OR DIRECT ANY INFO OR ACTION IN RESPONSE TO ANY TFC IN THE PATTERN, WHICH IS TO SAY THAT THE ACFT SYS DID NOT CONSIDER THE TFC A POTENTIAL HAZARD. THE OTHER ACFT WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE VFR PATTERN AT 3000 FT MSL ON THE DOWNWIND LEG, AND CLBED TO A HIGHER ALT ON THEIR OWN AFTER SEEING US TURNING TO DOWNWIND AT 3000 FT MSL. I BELIEVE THAT THE PLT OF THE OTHER ACFT FELT THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT SEPARATION BTWN OUR 2 ACFT, SO HE MADE IT CLR TO THE TWR CTLR THAT HE PLANNED TO FILE A RPT ON THE EVENT. I BELIEVE THAT THE PROB AROSE DUE TO AIRSPACE CONGESTION, THERE WERE 4 ACFT IN THE VFR PATTERN, INCLUDING US AND THE OTHER TFC IN THE DISCUSSION, WHICH MAKES THE PATTERN VERY FULL. I BELIEVE THAT THE TWR SHOULD HAVE EXTENDED OUR UPWIND LEG TO FOLLOW BEHIND THE OTHER TFC ON DOWNWIND, RATHER THAN TRY TO 'SQUEEZE' US IN FRONT OF THE DOWNWIND TFC. HOWEVER, AFTER SPEAKING TO A TWR SUPVR AFTER THE EVENT, I CAME TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY USE 500 FT SEPARATION AS 'WELL CLR' FOR THE CLASS D AIRSPACE IN THE VFR PATTERN. THE SUPVR TOLD ME THAT THE RADAR DATA INDICATED THAT WE WERE SEPARATED BY 2 MI.

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.