Narrative:

Sat and aus were operating under 'low activity procedures' (lap); which related specifically to aircraft that land within the sat or aus terminal areas. The provisions of lap are contained within our LOA; and these provisions allow for arriving aircraft to be on vector at the airport of intended landing; from sat to aus at any odd altitude; and from aus to sat at any even altitude; control on contact. Aircraft X was issued a canned routing (CLL6) rnd.V550.cwk.V565.cll. This route enters the aus airspace at our southwest corner; overflies the pinch intersection; and then turns northeast direct to cwk. Sat TRACON issued this aircraft direct cwk; and the vector/route caused aircraft X to enter aus approximately 15 miles east of the pinch intersection -- nowhere near the route printed on the flight progress strip. This is another example where lap causes coordination issues between aus and sat. Throughout the day; week; and month: 1) sat and/or aus controllers call each other to verify the status of lap. Is it on or off? 2) lap status is rarely updated on the saids display. 3) aus releases IFR departures off of hyi climbing to 3;000 ft; and sat has control for descent on lap traffic landing in the sat terminal area. Aus controllers do not issue restrictions to sat reference these departures.4) aus conducts IFR and VFR practice approaches at hyi; and sat has control for descent on lap traffic landing in the sat terminal area. Aus controllers do not issue restrictions to sat reference these aircraft on vectors for an approach at hyi. 5) aus radar east often initiates a point-out to radar west for overflights while lap is in effect; and radar west does not provide radar east with any restrictions on hyi arrival or departure traffic -- therefore radar east does not issue any restrictions to sat reference the traffic at hyi. 6) supervisors and controllers are inconsistent with approving or denying lap procedures; and there is peer pressure amongst certain individuals and crews to have lap activated. To do otherwise is considered to be 'weak'. 7) trainees are trained with lap activated; and never learn to operate with LOA's. Their default method of operating becomes 'cheat the corner'; because they do not know how to apply the provisions of the LOA. Recommendation; cancel the low activity procedures (lap) provision of the sat/aus letter of agreement; or restrict lap to the hours of 2100L to 0700L.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AUS TRACON Controller voiced concern regarding the Low Activity Procedure (LAP) sometimes used at the facility; claiming LAP should only be used during low activity time periods.

Narrative: SAT and AUS were operating under 'Low Activity Procedures' (LAP); which related specifically to aircraft that land within the SAT or AUS Terminal areas. The provisions of LAP are contained within our LOA; and these provisions allow for arriving aircraft to be on vector at the airport of intended landing; from SAT to AUS at any ODD altitude; and from AUS to SAT at any EVEN altitude; control on contact. Aircraft X was issued a canned routing (CLL6) RND.V550.CWK.V565.CLL. This route enters the AUS airspace at our southwest corner; overflies the PINCH Intersection; and then turns northeast direct to CWK. SAT TRACON issued this aircraft DIRECT CWK; and the vector/route caused Aircraft X to enter AUS approximately 15 miles east of the PINCH Intersection -- nowhere near the route printed on the Flight Progress Strip. This is another example where LAP causes coordination issues between AUS and SAT. Throughout the day; week; and month: 1) SAT and/or AUS Controllers call each other to verify the status of LAP. Is it on or off? 2) LAP status is rarely updated on the SAIDS display. 3) AUS releases IFR departures off of HYI climbing to 3;000 FT; and SAT has control for descent on LAP traffic landing in the SAT Terminal area. AUS Controllers do not issue restrictions to SAT reference these departures.4) AUS conducts IFR and VFR practice approaches at HYI; and SAT has control for descent on LAP traffic landing in the SAT Terminal area. AUS Controllers do not issue restrictions to SAT reference these aircraft on vectors for an approach at HYI. 5) AUS Radar East often initiates a point-out to Radar West for overflights while LAP is in effect; and Radar West does not provide Radar East with any restrictions on HYI arrival or departure traffic -- therefore Radar East does not issue any restrictions to SAT reference the traffic at HYI. 6) Supervisors and Controllers are inconsistent with approving or denying LAP procedures; and there is peer pressure amongst certain individuals and crews to have LAP activated. To do otherwise is considered to be 'weak'. 7) Trainees are trained with LAP activated; and never learn to operate with LOA's. Their default method of operating becomes 'cheat the corner'; because they do not know how to apply the provisions of the LOA. Recommendation; cancel the Low Activity Procedures (LAP) provision of the SAT/AUS Letter of Agreement; or restrict LAP to the hours of 2100L to 0700L.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.