Narrative:

Continuous problem with the mia approach control, our air carrier company files IFR, pre-stored flight plans from xyz-fll. When entering approach airspace, the controllers instruct the pilots to descend to 2000 ft. This is 50 to 60 nautical miles from the destination airport. At 2000 ft we are subject to avoiding many VFR aircraft. There is a flight training area 20 miles west of fll aprt, all VFR aircraft feeding into and out of this area are below 3000 ft to remain clear of mia class B airspace. In addition numerous VFR aircraft use a north, south road along the edge of the everglades as a visual reference point in transitioning this high density area. Most controllers are cooperative in allowing our IFR flights to remain at 3000 ft until established on final for east landings at fll however, there are a few that insist we descend into this high density environment. I have had many close calls with other aircraft at 2000 ft. I have been instructed to descend and upon doing so have the controller tell me 'traffic too numerous to call.' we file IFR for safety reasons. We expect IFR handling in a safe environment. If we ask to remain at 3000 ft until we are on a 10-mile final, that is what we should be granted. This is a mid-air disaster waiting to happen. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised the air carrier operated passenger flights. It is not uncommon for mia approach to descend them to 2000 ft, 40 to 50 miles south-southwest of fll. This puts them into uncontrolled airspace passing in the vicinity of four other airport's as well as training areas. The reporter has asked mia to keep them up at least at 3000 ft until a ten-mile final at fll. The reporter questions ATC in not providing traffic advisories to an air carrier IFR flight below mia class B. This problem has been discussed with company.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C402 ACR FLC CONCERNED WITH MIA TRACON VECTORING BELOW MIA CLASS B, NOT PROVIDING CONFLICT RESOLUTION WHEN VECTORING TO FLL FINAL APCH COURSE.

Narrative: CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH THE MIA APPROACH CONTROL, OUR ACR COMPANY FILES IFR, PRE-STORED FLIGHT PLANS FROM XYZ-FLL. WHEN ENTERING APPROACH AIRSPACE, THE CONTROLLERS INSTRUCT THE PILOTS TO DESCEND TO 2000 FT. THIS IS 50 TO 60 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE DESTINATION ARPT. AT 2000 FT WE ARE SUBJECT TO AVOIDING MANY VFR ACFT. THERE IS A FLIGHT TRAINING AREA 20 MILES WEST OF FLL APRT, ALL VFR ACFT FEEDING INTO AND OUT OF THIS AREA ARE BELOW 3000 FT TO REMAIN CLEAR OF MIA CLASS B AIRSPACE. IN ADDITION NUMEROUS VFR ACFT USE A NORTH, SOUTH ROAD ALONG THE EDGE OF THE EVERGLADES AS A VISUAL REFERENCE POINT IN TRANSITIONING THIS HIGH DENSITY AREA. MOST CONTROLLERS ARE COOPERATIVE IN ALLOWING OUR IFR FLIGHTS TO REMAIN AT 3000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON FINAL FOR EAST LANDINGS AT FLL HOWEVER, THERE ARE A FEW THAT INSIST WE DESCEND INTO THIS HIGH DENSITY ENVIRONMENT. I HAVE HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS WITH OTHER ACFT AT 2000 FT. I HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO DESCEND AND UPON DOING SO HAVE THE CONTROLLER TELL ME 'TRAFFIC TOO NUMEROUS TO CALL.' WE FILE IFR FOR SAFETY REASONS. WE EXPECT IFR HANDLING IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. IF WE ASK TO REMAIN AT 3000 FT UNTIL WE ARE ON A 10-MILE FINAL, THAT IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE GRANTED. THIS IS A MID-AIR DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED THE ACR OPERATED PAX FLIGHTS. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR MIA APCH TO DESCEND THEM TO 2000 FT, 40 TO 50 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF FLL. THIS PUTS THEM INTO UNCTLED AIRSPACE PASSING IN THE VICINITY OF FOUR OTHER ARPT'S AS WELL AS TRNG AREAS. THE RPTR HAS ASKED MIA TO KEEP THEM UP AT LEAST AT 3000 FT UNTIL A TEN-MILE FINAL AT FLL. THE RPTR QUESTIONS ATC IN NOT PROVIDING TRAFFIC ADVISORIES TO AN ACR IFR FLT BELOW MIA CLASS B. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN DISCUSSED WITH COMPANY.

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.