 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Pilot suggests that a VHF advisory frequency be established for the banning pass area of southern california.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 786722 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200805 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : psp.vortac |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 5500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| ASRS Report | 786722 |
| Events | |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
In transitioning the southern california 'banning pass' (west to east); pilots lose radar identification and ATC communications west of the pass (just where you enter the pass) and not regain radar identification until almost completely through the pass (on the east side). The banning pass is an area of fairly high air traffic volume for pilots transitioning from the los angeles basin to desert communities or destinations to the east. My recommendation is for a VHF traffic advisory frequency to be assigned for this area and to be printed on the los angeles sectional. It would be very helpful; and would enhance safety; if pilots could report their position (north or south of the freeway) and location (there are several excellent visual check points; such as the banning airport; and the agua caliente casino); and altitude. Nobody is in radar or ATC communications in this area anyway; and I have on a number of occasions wished I had a sense of who else is in the banning pass and where.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT SUGGESTS THAT A VHF ADVISORY FREQUENCY BE ESTABLISHED FOR THE BANNING PASS AREA OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
Narrative: IN TRANSITIONING THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 'BANNING PASS' (WEST TO EAST); PLTS LOSE RADAR IDENTIFICATION AND ATC COMS W OF THE PASS (JUST WHERE YOU ENTER THE PASS) AND NOT REGAIN RADAR IDENTIFICATION UNTIL ALMOST COMPLETELY THROUGH THE PASS (ON THE E SIDE). THE BANNING PASS IS AN AREA OF FAIRLY HIGH AIR TFC VOLUME FOR PLTS TRANSITIONING FROM THE LOS ANGELES BASIN TO DESERT COMMUNITIES OR DESTS TO THE E. MY RECOMMENDATION IS FOR A VHF TFC ADVISORY FREQUENCY TO BE ASSIGNED FOR THIS AREA AND TO BE PRINTED ON THE LOS ANGELES SECTIONAL. IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL; AND WOULD ENHANCE SAFETY; IF PLTS COULD RPT THEIR POSITION (NORTH OR SOUTH OF THE FREEWAY) AND LOCATION (THERE ARE SEVERAL EXCELLENT VISUAL CHK POINTS; SUCH AS THE BANNING ARPT; AND THE AGUA CALIENTE CASINO); AND ALTITUDE. NOBODY IS IN RADAR OR ATC COMS IN THIS AREA ANYWAY; AND I HAVE ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS WISHED I HAD A SENSE OF WHO ELSE IS IN THE BANNING PASS AND WHERE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.