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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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P31 approach controller concerned with military training activity conducted outside pns class C airspace. Reporter concerned with lack of FAA resolution with military training facilities conducting maneuvers within class east airspace.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 612613 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200401 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : jka.airport |
| State Reference | AL |
| Altitude | msl single value : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : p31.tracon |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Buckeye T-20 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : p31.tracon |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : vacating altitude |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller limited radar : 3 controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 11 |
| ASRS Report | 612613 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 200 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance FAA Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure |
| Primary Problem | Airspace Structure |
| Air Traffic Incident | Inter Facility Coordination Failure |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : pns.fss |
| Airspace Structure | class e : pns.e |
Narrative:
A TEX2 was returning to npa on an IFR flight plan at 9000 ft via tradr direct npa. I observed an aircraft on a 1200 code maneuvering rapidly both laterally and vertically in the proximity of aircraft X. I issued traffic to the pilot several times, but he never saw the maneuvering aircraft. The aircraft appeared to pass at the same altitude with less than 200 ft lateral separation. By observing the rapid maneuvers, I believe the aircraft was a navy training aircraft locally based. They perform these extreme maneuvers anywhere they please outside local class C airspace, without regard for the other users of the airspace. The navy answers complaints by saying their pilots are applying see and avoid separation while conducting these maneuvers. I suspect this pilot did not see aircraft X and that is precisely why they came so close. Local FAA management has been aware of this dangerous problem for over 10 yrs but has failed to come up with a solution, even with 2 near midair collision reports filed by air carrier's in 2003.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: P31 APCH CTLR CONCERNED WITH MIL TRAINING ACTIVITY CONDUCTED OUTSIDE PNS CLASS C AIRSPACE. RPTR CONCERNED WITH LACK OF FAA RESOLUTION WITH MIL TRAINING FACILITIES CONDUCTING MANEUVERS WITHIN CLASS E AIRSPACE.
Narrative: A TEX2 WAS RETURNING TO NPA ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AT 9000 FT VIA TRADR DIRECT NPA. I OBSERVED AN ACFT ON A 1200 CODE MANEUVERING RAPIDLY BOTH LATERALLY AND VERTLY IN THE PROX OF ACFT X. I ISSUED TFC TO THE PLT SEVERAL TIMES, BUT HE NEVER SAW THE MANEUVERING ACFT. THE ACFT APPEARED TO PASS AT THE SAME ALT WITH LESS THAN 200 FT LATERAL SEPARATION. BY OBSERVING THE RAPID MANEUVERS, I BELIEVE THE ACFT WAS A NAVY TRAINING ACFT LOCALLY BASED. THEY PERFORM THESE EXTREME MANEUVERS ANYWHERE THEY PLEASE OUTSIDE LCL CLASS C AIRSPACE, WITHOUT REGARD FOR THE OTHER USERS OF THE AIRSPACE. THE NAVY ANSWERS COMPLAINTS BY SAYING THEIR PLTS ARE APPLYING SEE AND AVOID SEPARATION WHILE CONDUCTING THESE MANEUVERS. I SUSPECT THIS PLT DID NOT SEE ACFT X AND THAT IS PRECISELY WHY THEY CAME SO CLOSE. LCL FAA MGMNT HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS DANGEROUS PROB FOR OVER 10 YRS BUT HAS FAILED TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION, EVEN WITH 2 NMAC RPTS FILED BY ACR'S IN 2003.
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.