Narrative:

I would like to bring an item to your attention that I consider to be a potentially serious safety conflict to aircraft operating in the NAS. The item concerns posting of class D and TRSA airspace on WAC charts. I recognize that the aim is advisory rather than regulatory in nature and that the FARS dictate actual airspace operating requirements. However, the TRSA airspace requirements are not even addressed in part 91 of the FARS so the only information on them is in the aim. Section 5, paragraph 3-5-7 (D) of the aim states: TRSA's are depicted on visual charts with a solid black line and altitudes for each segment. The class D portion is charted with a blue segmented line. While recently planning a long cross country flight in excess of 2000 mi, I decided to use WAC charts for the en route portions of the flight. I noticed that the planned route of flight was directly over altus, ok. There was no indication on the WAC chart of any controled airspace in that area. However, having been raised in the area, I knew that altus is a large, active military installation. By special ordering a dallas/ft worth sectional for that area, I found that altus has both class D airspace from the surface to 3900 ft and a TRSA extending up to 7000 ft. This busy and controled airspace was not shown in any way on the WAC chart as suggested by the aim. This contradiction is very confusing to pilots and could result in a safety infraction. If I had not been personally familiar with this area, I could have easily violated their airspace and have been involved in a major accident by chopping up a C141 with the propeller on my C172! Seriously, I believe the aim is misleading pilots that controled airspace is plotted on all visual charts. To alleviate this safety conflict, I recommend that all class D and TRSA airspace be shown on WAC charts as is class B and C airspace. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he sent a letter to the local FSDO and called on the hotline. He received a call from FAA in which the caller said he would pass the information on the upper channels. He also stated he did not expect much response because the WAC charts are already so crowded that it would clutter the charts even more to add the TRSA airspace. Reporter feels the TRSA is a more safety oriented airspace than the MOA's and they are shown. A pilot can be violated for entering TRSA airspace and the class D airspace which lies within the TRSA. How can they avoid such a violation if they are not aware of the airspace existence?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT IN PLANNING FLT DISCOVERS THAT WAC CHARTS DO NOT DEPICT TRSA OR CLASS D AIRSPACE. HIS PLANNED FLT TAKES HIM DIRECTLY OVER AND THROUGH SUCH AIRSPACE.

Narrative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

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.