Narrative:

I was working a low altitude sector (ptw) responsible for taking aircraft; mostly regional and cpr jets and DH8 turboprops; from the north and south and turn them to a downwind to land runway 26 at phl. This operation is known as saprs (simultaneous approachs to parallel runways). Aircraft land runway 27L (mostly mainline jets) and runway 26 (as stated above). This operation requires us to vector below the class B to land runway 26. The sector I was working (ptw) is also required to use a frequency (126.85) at a distance beyond its service area during the saprs operation. The procedures also often require me to vector aircraft on converging headings at the same altitude over the city of philadelphia. When I was working the ptw sector and was having problems with the frequency as I have in the past during the saprs operation. The frequency was breaking up and unreadable to numerous aircraft. This required me to have to repeat numerous xmissions and have to change my plans due to me not being able to be timely in my dscnts and vectors. This is extremely dangerous when you have aircraft converging. The frequency problem has been reported and addressed numerous times over the past 2-3 yrs. The af techs tell us the frequency is working normally but we are using it beyond its service area. Nothing has been done about the problem. The problem with the class B not protecting inbound aircraft has also been reported numerous times and again nothing has been done. This puts controllers; airline passenger; crew and people in and around philadelphia in a dangerous situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PHL TRACON CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING THE (SAPRS); SIMULTANEOUS APPROACHES TO PARALLEL RUNWAYS; PROC NOTING CLASS B EXITS AND COM PROBLEMS.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING A LOW ALT SECTOR (PTW) RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING ACFT; MOSTLY REGIONAL AND CPR JETS AND DH8 TURBOPROPS; FROM THE N AND S AND TURN THEM TO A DOWNWIND TO LAND RWY 26 AT PHL. THIS OP IS KNOWN AS SAPRS (SIMULTANEOUS APCHS TO PARALLEL RWYS). ACFT LAND RWY 27L (MOSTLY MAINLINE JETS) AND RWY 26 (AS STATED ABOVE). THIS OP REQUIRES US TO VECTOR BELOW THE CLASS B TO LAND RWY 26. THE SECTOR I WAS WORKING (PTW) IS ALSO REQUIRED TO USE A FREQ (126.85) AT A DISTANCE BEYOND ITS SVC AREA DURING THE SAPRS OP. THE PROCS ALSO OFTEN REQUIRE ME TO VECTOR ACFT ON CONVERGING HDGS AT THE SAME ALT OVER THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA. WHEN I WAS WORKING THE PTW SECTOR AND WAS HAVING PROBS WITH THE FREQ AS I HAVE IN THE PAST DURING THE SAPRS OP. THE FREQ WAS BREAKING UP AND UNREADABLE TO NUMEROUS ACFT. THIS REQUIRED ME TO HAVE TO REPEAT NUMEROUS XMISSIONS AND HAVE TO CHANGE MY PLANS DUE TO ME NOT BEING ABLE TO BE TIMELY IN MY DSCNTS AND VECTORS. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU HAVE ACFT CONVERGING. THE FREQ PROB HAS BEEN RPTED AND ADDRESSED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST 2-3 YRS. THE AF TECHS TELL US THE FREQ IS WORKING NORMALLY BUT WE ARE USING IT BEYOND ITS SVC AREA. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT THE PROB. THE PROB WITH THE CLASS B NOT PROTECTING INBOUND ACFT HAS ALSO BEEN RPTED NUMEROUS TIMES AND AGAIN NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. THIS PUTS CTLRS; AIRLINE PAX; CREW AND PEOPLE IN AND AROUND PHILADELPHIA IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

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.