Narrative:

The FAA has implemented new minimum vectoring altitudes (MVA's) for asheville approach control. These new MVA's were recalculated based on new requirements and as a result; were increased throughout the airspace. Prior to this change; the areas within 15 NM of the airport utilized a reduced required obstruction clearance (roc) to accommodate vectoring for an instrument approach; as authority/authorized in agency directives. The new MVA's do not take this reduction throughout the entire 15 NM as before; and result in greatly increased MVA's in close proximity to the final approach course as close as 4.5 NM just west of the airport; and 3.5 NM; northeast of the airport. These areas increased by as much as 1700 ft with this change. Controllers now have an extremely limited area in which to run the downwind leg unless the aircraft is at least 2000 ft above the MVA at glidepath intercept. This results in grossly extended downwind legs and extended finals to allow for descent. The other option is for the controller to pay much greater attention to arrs to ensure that aircraft remain in an area appropriate for their altitude while ensuring it remains the required distance from other aircraft already on final hitting a gap that in some places is only .5 NM wide. This distracts the controller from other traffic that might also need his/her attention. Proposed solution: apply the reduced rate of climb to all areas within 15 NM of the airport 'as has been the case both safely and legally for more than 2 decades' to accommodate vectors for an instrument approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AVL CONTROLLER VOICED CONCERN REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW AND HIGHER MVA REQUIREMENTS; ALLEGING INCREASED DIFFICULTY IN VECTORING AIRCRAFT FOR AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH.

Narrative: THE FAA HAS IMPLEMENTED NEW MINIMUM VECTORING ALTS (MVA'S) FOR ASHEVILLE APCH CTL. THESE NEW MVA'S WERE RECALCULATED BASED ON NEW REQUIREMENTS AND AS A RESULT; WERE INCREASED THROUGHOUT THE AIRSPACE. PRIOR TO THIS CHANGE; THE AREAS WITHIN 15 NM OF THE ARPT UTILIZED A REDUCED REQUIRED OBSTRUCTION CLRNC (ROC) TO ACCOMMODATE VECTORING FOR AN INST APCH; AS AUTH IN AGENCY DIRECTIVES. THE NEW MVA'S DO NOT TAKE THIS REDUCTION THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE 15 NM AS BEFORE; AND RESULT IN GREATLY INCREASED MVA'S IN CLOSE PROX TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE AS CLOSE AS 4.5 NM JUST W OF THE ARPT; AND 3.5 NM; NE OF THE ARPT. THESE AREAS INCREASED BY AS MUCH AS 1700 FT WITH THIS CHANGE. CTLRS NOW HAVE AN EXTREMELY LIMITED AREA IN WHICH TO RUN THE DOWNWIND LEG UNLESS THE ACFT IS AT LEAST 2000 FT ABOVE THE MVA AT GLIDEPATH INTERCEPT. THIS RESULTS IN GROSSLY EXTENDED DOWNWIND LEGS AND EXTENDED FINALS TO ALLOW FOR DSCNT. THE OTHER OPTION IS FOR THE CTLR TO PAY MUCH GREATER ATTN TO ARRS TO ENSURE THAT ACFT REMAIN IN AN AREA APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR ALT WHILE ENSURING IT REMAINS THE REQUIRED DISTANCE FROM OTHER ACFT ALREADY ON FINAL HITTING A GAP THAT IN SOME PLACES IS ONLY .5 NM WIDE. THIS DISTRACTS THE CTLR FROM OTHER TFC THAT MIGHT ALSO NEED HIS/HER ATTN. PROPOSED SOLUTION: APPLY THE REDUCED RATE OF CLIMB TO ALL AREAS WITHIN 15 NM OF THE ARPT 'AS HAS BEEN THE CASE BOTH SAFELY AND LEGALLY FOR MORE THAN 2 DECADES' TO ACCOMMODATE VECTORS FOR AN INST APCH.

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.