Narrative:

I consider the VOR approach at kennedy to be a marginally dangerous approach during daylight VFR conditions. It is not uncommon for ATC to use this approach at night or in marginal VFR conditions, which I consider totally inappropriate. A visibility of 3 mi and an MDA of 1013 ft in marginal WX is dangerous, especially when you have the capability of using the ILS approach to runway 13L. Maneuvering a heavy airplane below 1000 ft AGL to properly line up with the runway while descending below 1000 ft is totally unnecessary and in my consideration negligent. I'm very sure that it is only a matter of time before an accident will result from this constant use of this approach, in the name of noise control. Just when I thought I had seen it all ATC has now come up with a new and even more dangerous approach called the shore visual to runway 13L/right. Now, instead of using the canarsie VOR (legally for the VOR approach), you now use ground sites to align you with the proper runway -- not bad during daylight operation, but ridiculous at night. I have talked to many other pilots about this approach who also share my feelings. Please feel free to contact me if you need any further information concerning this unneeded approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CAPT COMPLAINS ABOUT A VOR AND A VISUAL APCH TO JFK. HE FEELS THAT THESE APCHS MAY BE 'DANGEROUS' AT NIGHT OR IN MARGINAL VMC.

Narrative: I CONSIDER THE VOR APCH AT KENNEDY TO BE A MARGINALLY DANGEROUS APCH DURING DAYLIGHT VFR CONDITIONS. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR ATC TO USE THIS APCH AT NIGHT OR IN MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS, WHICH I CONSIDER TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE. A VISIBILITY OF 3 MI AND AN MDA OF 1013 FT IN MARGINAL WX IS DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF USING THE ILS APCH TO RWY 13L. MANEUVERING A HVY AIRPLANE BELOW 1000 FT AGL TO PROPERLY LINE UP WITH THE RWY WHILE DSNDING BELOW 1000 FT IS TOTALLY UNNECESSARY AND IN MY CONSIDERATION NEGLIGENT. I'M VERY SURE THAT IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE AN ACCIDENT WILL RESULT FROM THIS CONSTANT USE OF THIS APCH, IN THE NAME OF NOISE CTL. JUST WHEN I THOUGHT I HAD SEEN IT ALL ATC HAS NOW COME UP WITH A NEW AND EVEN MORE DANGEROUS APCH CALLED THE SHORE VISUAL TO RWY 13L/R. NOW, INSTEAD OF USING THE CANARSIE VOR (LEGALLY FOR THE VOR APCH), YOU NOW USE GND SITES TO ALIGN YOU WITH THE PROPER RWY -- NOT BAD DURING DAYLIGHT OP, BUT RIDICULOUS AT NIGHT. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY OTHER PLTS ABOUT THIS APCH WHO ALSO SHARE MY FEELINGS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED ANY FURTHER INFO CONCERNING THIS UNNEEDED APCH.

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.