Narrative:

Later while in bur arsa I was told to fly wbound at or above 3500' (a VFR eastbound altitude) while bur was working an eastbound. Small aircraft at 3500', this was potentially dangerous, so I stayed at 4000'. Then, bur climbed an small transport departure from bur runway 15 to 4000', vectors to smo. This too was a potential conflict. I believe minimum sep standards were violated. I had to deviate for both aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: traffic advisory was not given to small aircraft a, but he knew the traffic was there because he heard approach controller give small aircraft a and traffic to the 2 other aircraft. Stated not good at estimating distances of aircraft, but saw them both well. No danger of near midair collision, just the potential by having given him the minimum of 3500' MSL when approach had the small aircraft B eastbound at that altitude. He stated the controller was very busy and that they usually took the wbound. In this case, small aircraft a going into vny at 2500' MSL. Also stated that the bur departures for smo were normally given 2000' MSL, but didn't know why the different procedure this day. Feels now VFR corridor now open will save many problems. Does know why FAA raised top of TCA to 12000' MSL.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL BETWEEN SMA AND OPPOSITE DIRECTION SMA AND ALSO WITH CLIMBING DEPARTING SMT IN ARSA.

Narrative: LATER WHILE IN BUR ARSA I WAS TOLD TO FLY WBOUND AT OR ABOVE 3500' (A VFR EBOUND ALT) WHILE BUR WAS WORKING AN EBOUND. SMA AT 3500', THIS WAS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS, SO I STAYED AT 4000'. THEN, BUR CLBED AN SMT DEP FROM BUR RWY 15 TO 4000', VECTORS TO SMO. THIS TOO WAS A POTENTIAL CONFLICT. I BELIEVE MINIMUM SEP STANDARDS WERE VIOLATED. I HAD TO DEVIATE FOR BOTH ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: TFC ADVISORY WAS NOT GIVEN TO SMA A, BUT HE KNEW THE TFC WAS THERE BECAUSE HE HEARD APCH CTLR GIVE SMA A AND TFC TO THE 2 OTHER ACFT. STATED NOT GOOD AT ESTIMATING DISTANCES OF ACFT, BUT SAW THEM BOTH WELL. NO DANGER OF NMAC, JUST THE POTENTIAL BY HAVING GIVEN HIM THE MINIMUM OF 3500' MSL WHEN APCH HAD THE SMA B EBOUND AT THAT ALT. HE STATED THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND THAT THEY USUALLY TOOK THE WBOUND. IN THIS CASE, SMA A GOING INTO VNY AT 2500' MSL. ALSO STATED THAT THE BUR DEPS FOR SMO WERE NORMALLY GIVEN 2000' MSL, BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHY THE DIFFERENT PROC THIS DAY. FEELS NOW VFR CORRIDOR NOW OPEN WILL SAVE MANY PROBS. DOES KNOW WHY FAA RAISED TOP OF TCA TO 12000' MSL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.