Tower instructions to hold with no specific procedures to do so.

Attributes
ACN	88936
Time
Date	198806
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gcn
State Reference	AZ
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : gcn
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	88936
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I have been referred to your office by our local FSDO with regard to what I consider to be an unsafe condition within the sfar 50-2 airspace. Recently, on a flight between las and gcn, aircraft, as well as other companies' aircraft, were instructed to hold 'over the ranch.' this is located approximately 8 mi west of gcn. The hold is being done VFR under see and be seen rules. However, none of the commercial operators that I am aware of have anything in their operating specifications which allow a deviation from their route to hold while approaching gcn. Additionally, no altitudes are being assigned, no direction of turn is being assigned and no length of legs of the hold are being assigned. I am sure that during the summer, with the tremendous increase of traffic at gcn, it will be required frequently to hold outside the air traffic area. It is my belief that some guidelines should be published in order to prevent a midair collision in this area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD WITH NO SPECIFIC PROCS TO DO SO.

Narrative: I HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO YOUR OFFICE BY OUR LCL FSDO WITH REGARD TO WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE AN UNSAFE CONDITION WITHIN THE SFAR 50-2 AIRSPACE. RECENTLY, ON A FLT BTWN LAS AND GCN, ACFT, AS WELL AS OTHER COMPANIES' ACFT, WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD 'OVER THE RANCH.' THIS IS LOCATED APPROX 8 MI W OF GCN. THE HOLD IS BEING DONE VFR UNDER SEE AND BE SEEN RULES. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE COMMERCIAL OPERATORS THAT I AM AWARE OF HAVE ANYTHING IN THEIR OPERATING SPECS WHICH ALLOW A DEVIATION FROM THEIR ROUTE TO HOLD WHILE APCHING GCN. ADDITIONALLY, NO ALTS ARE BEING ASSIGNED, NO DIRECTION OF TURN IS BEING ASSIGNED AND NO LENGTH OF LEGS OF THE HOLD ARE BEING ASSIGNED. I AM SURE THAT DURING THE SUMMER, WITH THE TREMENDOUS INCREASE OF TFC AT GCN, IT WILL BE REQUIRED FREQUENTLY TO HOLD OUTSIDE THE ATA. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT SOME GUIDELINES SHOULD BE PUBLISHED IN ORDER TO PREVENT A MIDAIR COLLISION IN THIS AREA.

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.