Narrative:

Recently; skydiving operations were approved for lincoln; ca (lhm) to the objections of many including the airport manager. The designated jump landing area is directly to the west side of the final approach area for runway 15. Standard pattern for runway 15 is left traffic that hopefully would keep aircraft away from the skydivers. However; standard traffic pattern for runway 33 is also left traffic and I have personally witnessed skydivers being dropped right into the area being actively used as the standard 45 degree entry for left traffic for runway 33. I would like to speak to someone to discuss the possibility of changing the information in the airport facilities directory to have the patterns for both runways occur exclusively on the east side of the airport. This would necessitate left traffic for runway 15 and right traffic for runway 33. This is a fatality waiting to happen. I look forward to speaking to someone who can help before a fatality occurs.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that not only do the sky divers conflict with the left traffic pattern for runway 33; but they also conflict with the flunk 3 arrival to smf. Airliners on this arrival are usually below 5000 ft and at speeds as high as 250 knots when they pass over lhm. Hopefully the jump pilots are coordinating with norcal before they release their jumpers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE35 PILOT REPORTS LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LHM RUNWAY 33 CONFLICTS WITH NEWLY INSTITUTED SKY DIVER LANDING AREA ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE AIRPORT.

Narrative: RECENTLY; SKYDIVING OPERATIONS WERE APPROVED FOR LINCOLN; CA (LHM) TO THE OBJECTIONS OF MANY INCLUDING THE AIRPORT MANAGER. THE DESIGNATED JUMP LANDING AREA IS DIRECTLY TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE FINAL APPROACH AREA FOR RUNWAY 15. STANDARD PATTERN FOR RWY 15 IS LEFT TRAFFIC THAT HOPEFULLY WOULD KEEP AIRCRAFT AWAY FROM THE SKYDIVERS. HOWEVER; STANDARD TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RWY 33 IS ALSO LEFT TRAFFIC AND I HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED SKYDIVERS BEING DROPPED RIGHT INTO THE AREA BEING ACTIVELY USED AS THE STANDARD 45 DEGREE ENTRY FOR LEFT TRAFFIC FOR RWY 33. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF CHANGING THE INFORMATION IN THE AIRPORT FACILITIES DIRECTORY TO HAVE THE PATTERNS FOR BOTH RUNWAYS OCCUR EXCLUSIVELY ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE AIRPORT. THIS WOULD NECESSITATE LEFT TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 15 AND RIGHT TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 33. THIS IS A FATALITY WAITING TO HAPPEN. I LOOK FORWARD TO SPEAKING TO SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP BEFORE A FATALITY OCCURS.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT NOT ONLY DO THE SKY DIVERS CONFLICT WITH THE LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 33; BUT THEY ALSO CONFLICT WITH THE FLUNK 3 ARRIVAL TO SMF. AIRLINERS ON THIS ARRIVAL ARE USUALLY BELOW 5000 FT AND AT SPEEDS AS HIGH AS 250 KNOTS WHEN THEY PASS OVER LHM. HOPEFULLY THE JUMP PILOTS ARE COORDINATING WITH NORCAL BEFORE THEY RELEASE THEIR JUMPERS.

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.