Narrative:

A large number of aircraft request practice instrument apches at love field, prescott, az. Prescott ATC tower is a VFR level ii tower without BRITE radar. The management insists that controllers use IFR phraseology from chapter four of the controller handbook, 7110.65. Controllers are instructed to inform pilots to 'maintain VFR, IFR separation is not provided', in accordance with 7110.65 paragraph 4-90a(3). However, the tower is instructed by management to assign an at or above altitude which is below the MEA. These aircraft are operating in albuquerque ARTCC airspace. This facility is also providing traffic advisory service to both IFR and VFR aircraft in the same airspace at the same time, particularly in the vicinity of drake VORTAC. Aircraft requesting VFR practice apches at prc should be instructed by the controllers to contact albuquerque ARTCC for service.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER BELIEVES FAC IS PROVIDING IFR SERVICES TO ACFT IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION RULES.

Narrative: A LARGE NUMBER OF ACFT REQUEST PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APCHES AT LOVE FIELD, PRESCOTT, AZ. PRESCOTT ATC TWR IS A VFR LEVEL II TWR WITHOUT BRITE RADAR. THE MGMNT INSISTS THAT CTLRS USE IFR PHRASEOLOGY FROM CHAPTER FOUR OF THE CTLR HANDBOOK, 7110.65. CTLRS ARE INSTRUCTED TO INFORM PLTS TO 'MAINTAIN VFR, IFR SEPARATION IS NOT PROVIDED', IN ACCORDANCE WITH 7110.65 PARAGRAPH 4-90A(3). HOWEVER, THE TWR IS INSTRUCTED BY MGMNT TO ASSIGN AN AT OR ABOVE ALT WHICH IS BELOW THE MEA. THESE ACFT ARE OPERATING IN ALBUQUERQUE ARTCC AIRSPACE. THIS FAC IS ALSO PROVIDING TFC ADVISORY SERVICE TO BOTH IFR AND VFR ACFT IN THE SAME AIRSPACE AT THE SAME TIME, PARTICULARLY IN THE VICINITY OF DRAKE VORTAC. ACFT REQUESTING VFR PRACTICE APCHES AT PRC SHOULD BE INSTRUCTED BY THE CTLRS TO CONTACT ALBUQUERQUE ARTCC FOR SERVICE.

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.