Narrative:

This report does not identify a specific event; rather an ongoing safety hazard. I'm a controller at tampa approach and we run apches into mcf. On the ILS and the TACAN runway 4 approach to mcf; the minimum altitude for an aircraft to maintain is 1600 ft MSL until the FAF. The facility for both apches passes directly over spg; with the FAF being just a bit northeast of spg. The pattern altitude at spg is 800 ft; but I regularly see (via mode C) aircraft in the pattern there at 900 or 1000 ft. With heavy aircraft (KC135) on approach to mcf; there is a built-in loss of prescribed vertical separation from heavy aircraft; which is supposed to be 1000 ft. This can lead to a catastrophic situation. When I questioned staff and management about this; I've received a blank stare and an; 'I don't know; that's the way we've always done it. We haven't had a crash yet.' to me; this is a disaster waiting to happen. I've seen what jet blast from a departing C-17 can do to an arriving beechjet 400 when I was at chs; I can just imagine the wake turbulence from a heavy KC135 in a dirty configuration could do to a cessna or piper in the VFR pattern at whitted. Hopefully; you folks can do something about this. It's an accident waiting to happen.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TPA TRACON CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING PROCS THAT DO NOT PROVIDE HVY SEPARATION BETWEEN MCF ARRIVALS AND SPG PATTERN ACFT.

Narrative: THIS RPT DOES NOT IDENTIFY A SPECIFIC EVENT; RATHER AN ONGOING SAFETY HAZARD. I'M A CTLR AT TAMPA APCH AND WE RUN APCHES INTO MCF. ON THE ILS AND THE TACAN RWY 4 APCH TO MCF; THE MINIMUM ALT FOR AN ACFT TO MAINTAIN IS 1600 FT MSL UNTIL THE FAF. THE FAC FOR BOTH APCHES PASSES DIRECTLY OVER SPG; WITH THE FAF BEING JUST A BIT NE OF SPG. THE PATTERN ALT AT SPG IS 800 FT; BUT I REGULARLY SEE (VIA MODE C) ACFT IN THE PATTERN THERE AT 900 OR 1000 FT. WITH HVY ACFT (KC135) ON APCH TO MCF; THERE IS A BUILT-IN LOSS OF PRESCRIBED VERT SEPARATION FROM HVY ACFT; WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE 1000 FT. THIS CAN LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC SIT. WHEN I QUESTIONED STAFF AND MANAGEMENT ABOUT THIS; I'VE RECEIVED A BLANK STARE AND AN; 'I DON'T KNOW; THAT'S THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT. WE HAVEN'T HAD A CRASH YET.' TO ME; THIS IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. I'VE SEEN WHAT JET BLAST FROM A DEPARTING C-17 CAN DO TO AN ARRIVING BEECHJET 400 WHEN I WAS AT CHS; I CAN JUST IMAGINE THE WAKE TURB FROM A HVY KC135 IN A DIRTY CONFIGURATION COULD DO TO A CESSNA OR PIPER IN THE VFR PATTERN AT WHITTED. HOPEFULLY; YOU FOLKS CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. IT'S AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.