P31 departure control issued a TA to EMB120, climbing out through 7200 ft, of a military T34 doing aerobatics in and around the departure route. Even though the controller had a conflict alert warning, controller did not issue heading changes due to the unpredictable flight path of the T34.

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Attributes
ACN	474008
Time
Date	200005
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pns.airport
Altitude	msl single value : 7200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 119
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : p31.tracon
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Mentor (T-34)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Experience	controller military : 4 controller non radar : 10 controller radar : 2 controller time certified in position1 : 2
ASRS Report	474008
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6750 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Facility
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : p31.tracon

Narrative:

Air carrier X, E120 departed pns direct tpa, climbing to 15000 ft, conflicted with a military T34 doing aerobatic training. Even though these T34's squawk while maneuvering, they continually maneuver in areas that are used by air carrier's, air taxies and other GA aircraft for their arrival and departure transitions in and out of pns regional airport. Not only is it impossible to provide positive separation, it is also impossible to issue a safety alert with alternate instructions when you have no idea that the T34 will do next. These aircraft turn sharply continuously, and may climb or descend 2000 ft in a matter of seconds.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: P31 DEP CTL ISSUED A TA TO EMB120, CLBING OUT THROUGH 7200 FT, OF A MIL T34 DOING AEROBATICS IN AND AROUND THE DEP RTE. EVEN THOUGH THE CTLR HAD A CONFLICT ALERT WARNING, CTLR DID NOT ISSUE HEADING CHANGES DUE TO THE UNPREDICTABLE FLT PATH OF THE T34.

Narrative: ACR X, E120 DEPARTED PNS DIRECT TPA, CLBING TO 15000 FT, CONFLICTED WITH A MIL T34 DOING AEROBATIC TRAINING. EVEN THOUGH THESE T34'S SQUAWK WHILE MANEUVERING, THEY CONTINUALLY MANEUVER IN AREAS THAT ARE USED BY ACR'S, AIR TAXIES AND OTHER GA ACFT FOR THEIR ARR AND DEP TRANSITIONS IN AND OUT OF PNS REGIONAL ARPT. NOT ONLY IS IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PROVIDE POSITIVE SEPARATION, IT IS ALSO IMPOSSIBLE TO ISSUE A SAFETY ALERT WITH ALTERNATE INSTRUCTIONS WHEN YOU HAVE NO IDEA THAT THE T34 WILL DO NEXT. THESE ACFT TURN SHARPLY CONTINUOUSLY, AND MAY CLB OR DSND 2000 FT IN A MATTER OF SECONDS.

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.