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BE20 pilot states cll airport attracts a large amount of traffic because of it's three runways and a variety of instrument approachs. The pilot believes the tower at times is overwhelmed with traffic and should have radar to assist the controllers during peak periods.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 614710 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200404 |
| Day | Mon |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : cll.airport |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl single value : 1500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc tower : cll.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Super King Air 200 HDC |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 614710 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other cabin event other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airport FAA ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
Easterwood airport (cll) is a popular site to conduct instrument and VFR training, as it has three runways and a variety of instrument approach procedures. As a result, many aircraft from nearby houston, austin, smaller airports, and the military use the airport for training. Houston center provides radar services to within a few miles, however, the ATC tower does not have radar, and handle all traffic visually. There have been many times when I have had to delay entry into the landing pattern area, even when on an IFR flight plan (visual approach), due to conflicts with VFR traffic. I have also witnessed confusion on the part of the tower and other pilots when there are numerous aircraft in the pattern. The tower needs a radar scope to safely keep aircraft separated. Even on an instrument approach, I rely heavily on my aircraft's TCAS and visual separation when flying into easterwood. The tower operators (local) are trying hard, but they don't have the tools they need.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BE20 PLT STATES CLL ARPT ATTRACTS A LARGE AMOUNT OF TFC BECAUSE OF IT'S THREE RWYS AND A VARIETY OF INST APCHS. THE PLT BELIEVES THE TWR AT TIMES IS OVERWHELMED WITH TFC AND SHOULD HAVE RADAR TO ASSIST THE CTLRS DURING PEAK PERIODS.
Narrative: EASTERWOOD ARPT (CLL) IS A POPULAR SITE TO CONDUCT INST AND VFR TRAINING, AS IT HAS THREE RWYS AND A VARIETY OF INST APCH PROCS. AS A RESULT, MANY ACFT FROM NEARBY HOUSTON, AUSTIN, SMALLER ARPTS, AND THE MIL USE THE ARPT FOR TRAINING. HOUSTON CTR PROVIDES RADAR SERVICES TO WITHIN A FEW MILES, HOWEVER, THE ATC TWR DOES NOT HAVE RADAR, AND HANDLE ALL TFC VISUALLY. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY TIMES WHEN I HAVE HAD TO DELAY ENTRY INTO THE LNDG PATTERN AREA, EVEN WHEN ON AN IFR FLT PLAN (VISUAL APCH), DUE TO CONFLICTS WITH VFR TFC. I HAVE ALSO WITNESSED CONFUSION ON THE PART OF THE TWR AND OTHER PLTS WHEN THERE ARE NUMEROUS ACFT IN THE PATTERN. THE TWR NEEDS A RADAR SCOPE TO SAFELY KEEP ACFT SEPARATED. EVEN ON AN INSTRUMENT APCH, I RELY HEAVILY ON MY ACFT'S TCAS AND VISUAL SEPARATION WHEN FLYING INTO EASTERWOOD. THE TWR OPERATORS (LOCAL) ARE TRYING HARD, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS THEY NEED.
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.