Narrative:

Air carrier X was on vectors to the ILS runway 17 approach at pns airport descending out of 8000 ft for 4000 ft. Air carrier X was approaching the airport from the southeast; having been routed via the gulf of mexico coastline to remain clear of eglin AFB restr and warning areas. This route is heavily traveled by commercial and civilian air traffic. Approximately 10 mi southeast of pns airport; air carrier X encountered an aerobatic T34 at 4600 ft. The primary targets of both aircraft merged; as the T34 spun through air carrier X's altitude. Air carrier X responded to an RA from his TCASII with a rapid descent. Throughout the episode; the pilots of air carrier X never had visual contact with the maneuvering T34. On sep/xa/03; an air carrier Y commuter flight from pns to atl reported an near midair collision with an aerobatic T34 20 mi northeast of pns at 12000 ft. The pilots of that flight also never had visual contact with the T34 and had to rely on TCASII to make an evasive maneuver. On feb/xa/03; an air carrier Z MD80 reported an near midair collision with an aerobatic T34 8 mi east of pns at 7000 ft. The T34 missed the MD80 by 100 ft horizontal. I have collected a folder full of such reports and have shared them with both the FAA and NASA; to no avail. The 'big sky' theory is not going to work here forever; and I am concerned that our luck may run out before the T34's are phrased out as military trainers. It would appear that the FAA is more concerned with customer satisfaction; the military being the largest customer in this area; than safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: P31 CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING MIL T34 TRAINING OPS NEAR CIVIL ACFT OPS AT PNS THAT RESULTED IN A RPTED NMAC.

Narrative: ACR X WAS ON VECTORS TO THE ILS RWY 17 APCH AT PNS ARPT DSNDING OUT OF 8000 FT FOR 4000 FT. ACR X WAS APCHING THE ARPT FROM THE SE; HAVING BEEN ROUTED VIA THE GULF OF MEXICO COASTLINE TO REMAIN CLR OF EGLIN AFB RESTR AND WARNING AREAS. THIS RTE IS HEAVILY TRAVELED BY COMMERCIAL AND CIVILIAN AIR TFC. APPROX 10 MI SE OF PNS ARPT; ACR X ENCOUNTERED AN AEROBATIC T34 AT 4600 FT. THE PRIMARY TARGETS OF BOTH ACFT MERGED; AS THE T34 SPUN THROUGH ACR X'S ALT. ACR X RESPONDED TO AN RA FROM HIS TCASII WITH A RAPID DSCNT. THROUGHOUT THE EPISODE; THE PLTS OF ACR X NEVER HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE MANEUVERING T34. ON SEP/XA/03; AN ACR Y COMMUTER FLT FROM PNS TO ATL RPTED AN NMAC WITH AN AEROBATIC T34 20 MI NE OF PNS AT 12000 FT. THE PLTS OF THAT FLT ALSO NEVER HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE T34 AND HAD TO RELY ON TCASII TO MAKE AN EVASIVE MANEUVER. ON FEB/XA/03; AN ACR Z MD80 RPTED AN NMAC WITH AN AEROBATIC T34 8 MI E OF PNS AT 7000 FT. THE T34 MISSED THE MD80 BY 100 FT HORIZ. I HAVE COLLECTED A FOLDER FULL OF SUCH RPTS AND HAVE SHARED THEM WITH BOTH THE FAA AND NASA; TO NO AVAIL. THE 'BIG SKY' THEORY IS NOT GOING TO WORK HERE FOREVER; AND I AM CONCERNED THAT OUR LUCK MAY RUN OUT BEFORE THE T34'S ARE PHRASED OUT AS MIL TRAINERS. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE FAA IS MORE CONCERNED WITH CUSTOMER SATISFACTION; THE MIL BEING THE LARGEST CUSTOMER IN THIS AREA; THAN SAFETY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.