 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Seattle TRACON controller reported issues relating to the VFR traffic in and around boeing field and the renton airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1622402 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201902 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601-1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | BFI.Airport |
| State Reference | WA |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Learjet 35 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Other Unknown |
| Flight Phase | Final Approach |
| Route In Use | Visual Approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Hawker 900 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Other Unknown |
| Flight Phase | Final Approach |
| Route In Use | Visual Approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Approach |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Experience | Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 2 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Conflict Airborne Conflict |
Narrative:
In only one session. I had 3 aircraft on approach at bfi airport respond to TCAS RA because of VFR aircraft climbing through the bfi final out of rnt airport. Rnt airport sits 3-4 miles north of the initial approach fix for the ILS runway 32L for bfi; but the sea class bravo in the area is 030-100. The crossing altitude for the initial approach fix (lackr) is 026. This encourages numerous VFR aircraft to fly out of rnt; climbing to 025 directly in the path of arriving traffic to bfi descending to 026 and lower.I recommend a redesign of the sea class B airspace to encompass more of the bfi final. This is a safety issue in both north and south flow configurations. It is impossible to anticipate what a VFR aircraft will do in response to seeing a fast moving jet descending right at him. If my jet responds to a TCAS RA; there is a high probability he will conflict with IFR traffic into; or out of sea as well. I strongly feel this is a ticking time bomb and it's just a matter of time before something catastrophic happens. It is one of the most dangerous situations I've handled in my career; and it happened to me 3 times in one session and continues all spring--summer--fall. Something needs to change. The sooner the better.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Seattle TRACON Controller reported issues relating to the VFR traffic in and around Boeing Field and the Renton airport.
Narrative: In only one session. I had 3 aircraft on approach at BFI airport respond to TCAS RA because of VFR aircraft climbing through the BFI final out of RNT airport. RNT airport sits 3-4 miles north of the initial approach fix for the ILS Runway 32L for BFI; but the SEA Class Bravo in the area is 030-100. The crossing altitude for the initial approach fix (LACKR) is 026. This encourages numerous VFR aircraft to fly out of RNT; climbing to 025 directly in the path of arriving traffic to BFI descending to 026 and lower.I recommend a redesign of the SEA Class B airspace to encompass more of the BFI final. This is a safety issue in both north and south flow configurations. It is impossible to anticipate what a VFR aircraft will do in response to seeing a fast moving jet descending right at him. If my jet responds to a TCAS RA; there is a high probability he will conflict with IFR traffic into; or out of SEA as well. I strongly feel this is a ticking time bomb and it's just a matter of time before something catastrophic happens. It is one of the most dangerous situations I've handled in my career; and it happened to me 3 times in one session and continues all spring--summer--fall. Something needs to change. The sooner the better.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.