 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Fai controller expressed concern regarding local management's change to national weight CAT for one local company dash-8 aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 735960 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200704 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : fai.airport |
| State Reference | AK |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : ground controller : local controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 10 flight time total : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 735960 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : fai.tracon |
Narrative:
On apr/xa/07 I was briefed via written memorandum that henceforth all dash-8 aircraft operated by FBO 'shall be handled as small-plus (south+) weight-class for separation purposes.' this memorandum is contrary to the weight classification for this aircraft type that is published in faao 7110.65. This memorandum is signed by the acting facility manager; but I believe it was originally authored by the anchorage hub manager. This memorandum is very puzzling for the following reason: 1) it is not a national change; only facilities in the anchorage hub are participating; even though this change is to a national directive; and dash-8 aircraft are operated worldwide. 2) only dash-8 aircraft operated by FBO are included in this change. 3) the fleet at FBO is not static; even if data were 100% true today; the fleet could encompass larger; heavier dash-8 aircraft tomorrow; and anc hub ATC facilities would have no basis for providing more than south+ separation for aircraft following them. This situation needs to be investigated. Ad hoc changes to the wake turbulence separation standards are not a good idea.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FAI CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING LOCAL MGMNT'S CHANGE TO NATIONAL WEIGHT CAT FOR ONE LCL COMPANY DASH-8 ACFT.
Narrative: ON APR/XA/07 I WAS BRIEFED VIA WRITTEN MEMORANDUM THAT HENCEFORTH ALL DASH-8 ACFT OPERATED BY FBO 'SHALL BE HANDLED AS SMALL-PLUS (S+) WT-CLASS FOR SEPARATION PURPOSES.' THIS MEMORANDUM IS CONTRARY TO THE WT CLASSIFICATION FOR THIS ACFT TYPE THAT IS PUBLISHED IN FAAO 7110.65. THIS MEMORANDUM IS SIGNED BY THE ACTING FACILITY MGR; BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS ORIGINALLY AUTHORED BY THE ANCHORAGE HUB MGR. THIS MEMORANDUM IS VERY PUZZLING FOR THE FOLLOWING REASON: 1) IT IS NOT A NATL CHANGE; ONLY FACILITIES IN THE ANCHORAGE HUB ARE PARTICIPATING; EVEN THOUGH THIS CHANGE IS TO A NATL DIRECTIVE; AND DASH-8 ACFT ARE OPERATED WORLDWIDE. 2) ONLY DASH-8 ACFT OPERATED BY FBO ARE INCLUDED IN THIS CHANGE. 3) THE FLEET AT FBO IS NOT STATIC; EVEN IF DATA WERE 100% TRUE TODAY; THE FLEET COULD ENCOMPASS LARGER; HEAVIER DASH-8 ACFT TOMORROW; AND ANC HUB ATC FACILITIES WOULD HAVE NO BASIS FOR PROVIDING MORE THAN S+ SEPARATION FOR ACFT FOLLOWING THEM. THIS SITUATION NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. AD HOC CHANGES TO THE WAKE TURB SEPARATION STANDARDS ARE NOT A GOOD IDEA.
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.