Emj pilot is concerned with published pattern altitudes at mhr airport.

Attributes
ACN	597420
Time
Date	200310
Day	Thu
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mhr.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 135 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	597420
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport
Primary Problem	Airport
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : mhr.airport

Narrative:

Sacramento county airport officials don't seem to understand potential danger caused by their non standard turbine traffic pattern altitude in the airport facility directory. In addition they have ignored my calls and e-mails to correct the problem. Problem started when airport officials requested an increase in pattern altitudes to accommodate a housing development/school under the north runway used primarily for piston aircraft. FAA apparently turned down the increase for piston aircraft, but left the turbine altitude increase to 1800 ft AGL in place for no apparent reason. Having a non standard turbine pattern is bad enough, in itself, but it now conflicts with the military overhead pattern (used daily by beale AFB T38's) and flown at 2000 ft AGL -- that's 200 ft vertical separation! Suggest either returning turbine pattern to 1500 ft AGL standard or publishing an overhead pattern altitude of 2300 ft AGL to maintain 500 ft separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMJ PLT IS CONCERNED WITH PUBLISHED PATTERN ALTS AT MHR ARPT.

Narrative: SACRAMENTO COUNTY ARPT OFFICIALS DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND POTENTIAL DANGER CAUSED BY THEIR NON STANDARD TURBINE TFC PATTERN ALT IN THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY. IN ADDITION THEY HAVE IGNORED MY CALLS AND E-MAILS TO CORRECT THE PROB. PROB STARTED WHEN ARPT OFFICIALS REQUESTED AN INCREASE IN PATTERN ALTS TO ACCOMMODATE A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT/SCHOOL UNDER THE N RWY USED PRIMARILY FOR PISTON ACFT. FAA APPARENTLY TURNED DOWN THE INCREASE FOR PISTON ACFT, BUT LEFT THE TURBINE ALT INCREASE TO 1800 FT AGL IN PLACE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. HAVING A NON STANDARD TURBINE PATTERN IS BAD ENOUGH, IN ITSELF, BUT IT NOW CONFLICTS WITH THE MIL OVERHEAD PATTERN (USED DAILY BY BEALE AFB T38'S) AND FLOWN AT 2000 FT AGL -- THAT'S 200 FT VERT SEPARATION! SUGGEST EITHER RETURNING TURBINE PATTERN TO 1500 FT AGL STANDARD OR PUBLISHING AN OVERHEAD PATTERN ALT OF 2300 FT AGL TO MAINTAIN 500 FT SEPARATION.

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.