Narrative:

Small aircraft on a VOR approach to runway 16 with an mlt in closed traffic to runway 16. Small aircraft in side VOR 4 mi final at 700' MSL, not in sight from tower, due to obscuration of tree line, consisting of pine trees. Traffic exchanged, but neither aircraft sights each other, both had landing lights on. Local controller stood on chair in order to see aircraft, still below trees on approach. Bride (d-brite?) requested due to this situation, still under consideration. Common occurrence. Trees have already been topped and some removed. Due to cost of BRITE, installation unlikely. Modern technology not being implemented in ATC. A d-brite could possible be slaved off center using phone lines? Microwave or fiber-optics considered, but expensive. Due to the high frequency of military training at this airport, traffic is in the pattern frequency and aircraft on INS approachs cannot be separated visually by tower on runway 16. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated that aby was level I facility with about 60000 operations/yr. Biggest problem is tall pine trees that surround airport. He said a survey team from the FAA was coming next week to look at the tree situation. No ucr has been filed re: the trees or the need for a BRITE radar scope. No calls have been made to the administrator's hotline. Reporter stated that he is the union's safety rep and most of the reports come through him. He said BRITE radar would allow tower controllers to see aircraft down to 1/2 mi final--same as ARTCC sees them today.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR UNABLE TO SEE ACFT ON VOR APCH DUE TO TREE LINE AND NO BRITE EQUIPMENT.

Narrative: SMA ON A VOR APCH TO RWY 16 WITH AN MLT IN CLOSED TFC TO RWY 16. SMA IN SIDE VOR 4 MI FINAL AT 700' MSL, NOT IN SIGHT FROM TWR, DUE TO OBSCURATION OF TREE LINE, CONSISTING OF PINE TREES. TFC EXCHANGED, BUT NEITHER ACFT SIGHTS EACH OTHER, BOTH HAD LNDG LIGHTS ON. LCL CTLR STOOD ON CHAIR IN ORDER TO SEE ACFT, STILL BELOW TREES ON APCH. BRIDE (D-BRITE?) REQUESTED DUE TO THIS SITUATION, STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION. COMMON OCCURRENCE. TREES HAVE ALREADY BEEN TOPPED AND SOME REMOVED. DUE TO COST OF BRITE, INSTALLATION UNLIKELY. MODERN TECHNOLOGY NOT BEING IMPLEMENTED IN ATC. A D-BRITE COULD POSSIBLE BE SLAVED OFF CENTER USING PHONE LINES? MICROWAVE OR FIBER-OPTICS CONSIDERED, BUT EXPENSIVE. DUE TO THE HIGH FREQ OF MIL TRNING AT THIS ARPT, TFC IS IN THE PATTERN FREQ AND ACFT ON INS APCHS CANNOT BE SEPARATED VISUALLY BY TWR ON RWY 16. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THAT ABY WAS LEVEL I FAC WITH ABOUT 60000 OPS/YR. BIGGEST PROB IS TALL PINE TREES THAT SURROUND ARPT. HE SAID A SURVEY TEAM FROM THE FAA WAS COMING NEXT WK TO LOOK AT THE TREE SITUATION. NO UCR HAS BEEN FILED RE: THE TREES OR THE NEED FOR A BRITE RADAR SCOPE. NO CALLS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE ADMINISTRATOR'S HOTLINE. RPTR STATED THAT HE IS THE UNION'S SAFETY REP AND MOST OF THE RPTS COME THROUGH HIM. HE SAID BRITE RADAR WOULD ALLOW TWR CTLRS TO SEE ACFT DOWN TO 1/2 MI FINAL--SAME AS ARTCC SEES THEM TODAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.