Narrative:

I am writing to complain about the safety implications of an extended outage of the madison, ct, VOR (mad). I fly out of chester, ct (3b9), and the only instrument approach I can use is off the mad VOR. I am not sure how long mad has been down, but I first became aware of it on a VFR flight in apr or may (I cannot remember specifically when). It was scheduled to be back up on jul/xx/04, but the current NOTAM states it is scheduled to be back up on jul/yy/04. I have talked to bdr FSS and they have no information on why it is down or why it is taking so long. I know the WX is VFR a great deal of the time this time of the yr in this area, but since 3b9 is about 400 ft higher than nearby long island sound, a scattered layer at 2000 ft MSL means a VFR arrival would be barely legal (600 ft below the clouds, maybe?). I feel this is a safety issue, because I either do not fly, do not return to 3b9 when it is MVFR, or push the limits of distance to clouds. This also limits my options to fly IFR to keep current, and I cannot practice approachs to 3b9. I know an answer for me is to upgrade to an approach certified GPS as there are 2 GPS approachs for 3b9. I have an en route certified GPS and intend to upgrade at some future date, but is the FAA trying to force me to do that now? My questions are: 1) is this outage due to lack of FAA funds or due to low priority? 2) is this outage because the FAA has not upgraded equipment as they should? 3) is the FAA pursuing an unpublished policy of not supporting the existing VOR and non precision approach system? I feel the answers to these questions could affect my flight safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA34 PLT COMPLAINS OF EXTENDED OUTAGE OF MAD VOR.

Narrative: I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF AN EXTENDED OUTAGE OF THE MADISON, CT, VOR (MAD). I FLY OUT OF CHESTER, CT (3B9), AND THE ONLY INST APCH I CAN USE IS OFF THE MAD VOR. I AM NOT SURE HOW LONG MAD HAS BEEN DOWN, BUT I FIRST BECAME AWARE OF IT ON A VFR FLT IN APR OR MAY (I CANNOT REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY WHEN). IT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE BACK UP ON JUL/XX/04, BUT THE CURRENT NOTAM STATES IT IS SCHEDULED TO BE BACK UP ON JUL/YY/04. I HAVE TALKED TO BDR FSS AND THEY HAVE NO INFO ON WHY IT IS DOWN OR WHY IT IS TAKING SO LONG. I KNOW THE WX IS VFR A GREAT DEAL OF THE TIME THIS TIME OF THE YR IN THIS AREA, BUT SINCE 3B9 IS ABOUT 400 FT HIGHER THAN NEARBY LONG ISLAND SOUND, A SCATTERED LAYER AT 2000 FT MSL MEANS A VFR ARR WOULD BE BARELY LEGAL (600 FT BELOW THE CLOUDS, MAYBE?). I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE I EITHER DO NOT FLY, DO NOT RETURN TO 3B9 WHEN IT IS MVFR, OR PUSH THE LIMITS OF DISTANCE TO CLOUDS. THIS ALSO LIMITS MY OPTIONS TO FLY IFR TO KEEP CURRENT, AND I CANNOT PRACTICE APCHS TO 3B9. I KNOW AN ANSWER FOR ME IS TO UPGRADE TO AN APCH CERTIFIED GPS AS THERE ARE 2 GPS APCHS FOR 3B9. I HAVE AN ENRTE CERTIFIED GPS AND INTEND TO UPGRADE AT SOME FUTURE DATE, BUT IS THE FAA TRYING TO FORCE ME TO DO THAT NOW? MY QUESTIONS ARE: 1) IS THIS OUTAGE DUE TO LACK OF FAA FUNDS OR DUE TO LOW PRIORITY? 2) IS THIS OUTAGE BECAUSE THE FAA HAS NOT UPGRADED EQUIP AS THEY SHOULD? 3) IS THE FAA PURSUING AN UNPUBLISHED POLICY OF NOT SUPPORTING THE EXISTING VOR AND NON PRECISION APCH SYS? I FEEL THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS COULD AFFECT MY FLT SAFETY.

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.