Narrative:

I was assigned to work the east arrival radar position btv landing runway 15; departing runway 15. Conditions northeast through southeast of airport snow showers; low ceilings between airport and green mounts to east. Conditions southeast through north good VMC with scattered clouds and 10+ mi visibility. Visual approachs to runway 15 advertised on ATIS. Aircraft Y BE99 was inbound from southeast on vectors for visual approach; left downwind to runway 15. I coordination with local controller for a 'close-in left downwind' which is routine; and in such a case; xfers arrival versus departure separation to the radar qualified local controller. Typically; in this situation; tower either clears departures for takeoff applying visual separation; or approved radar separation using tower d-brite. When aircraft Y was 2 1/2 - 3 NM southeast of airport; offset 1 1/2 NM from runway 15 departure course; tower (local controller) advised air carrier X was departure roll. I asked 'what would you like me to do with air carrier Y?' he replied he had 'separation; air carrier X is assigned heading 190 degrees.' in reality; air carrier X was not yet established on 190 degree heading. He was initial climb heading 146 degrees and turning to assigned heading 190 degrees. Aircraft Y was heading 320 degrees opposite direction to departing air carrier X. When issued a heading of 340 degrees; aircraft Y advised he would have airport in sight in a 'mi or two.' tower did not provide approved (visual) separation. I reported event to controller in charge. The controller in charge advised they were 'not going to do anything about it; but if you want to; you can.' no quality assurance review annotated in log; or to my knowledge; has been conducted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BTV APCH CTLR QUESTIONED LCL CTLR'S SEPARATION PLAN BTWN DEP AND ACFT ON CLOSE-IN DOWNWIND.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED TO WORK THE EAST ARR RADAR POS BTV LNDG RWY 15; DEPARTING RWY 15. CONDITIONS NE THROUGH SE OF ARPT SNOW SHOWERS; LOW CEILINGS BTWN ARPT AND GREEN MOUNTS TO E. CONDITIONS SE THROUGH N GOOD VMC WITH SCATTERED CLOUDS AND 10+ MI VISIBILITY. VISUAL APCHS TO RWY 15 ADVERTISED ON ATIS. ACFT Y BE99 WAS INBOUND FROM SE ON VECTORS FOR VISUAL APCH; L DOWNWIND TO RWY 15. I COORD WITH LCL CTLR FOR A 'CLOSE-IN L DOWNWIND' WHICH IS ROUTINE; AND IN SUCH A CASE; XFERS ARR VERSUS DEP SEPARATION TO THE RADAR QUALIFIED LCL CTLR. TYPICALLY; IN THIS SITUATION; TWR EITHER CLRS DEPS FOR TKOF APPLYING VISUAL SEPARATION; OR APPROVED RADAR SEPARATION USING TWR D-BRITE. WHEN ACFT Y WAS 2 1/2 - 3 NM SE OF ARPT; OFFSET 1 1/2 NM FROM RWY 15 DEP COURSE; TWR (LCL CTLR) ADVISED ACR X WAS DEP ROLL. I ASKED 'WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO DO WITH ACR Y?' HE REPLIED HE HAD 'SEPARATION; ACR X IS ASSIGNED HDG 190 DEGS.' IN REALITY; ACR X WAS NOT YET ESTABLISHED ON 190 DEG HDG. HE WAS INITIAL CLB HDG 146 DEGS AND TURNING TO ASSIGNED HDG 190 DEGS. ACFT Y WAS HDG 320 DEGS OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO DEPARTING ACR X. WHEN ISSUED A HDG OF 340 DEGS; ACFT Y ADVISED HE WOULD HAVE ARPT IN SIGHT IN A 'MI OR TWO.' TWR DID NOT PROVIDE APPROVED (VISUAL) SEPARATION. I RPTED EVENT TO CIC. THE CIC ADVISED THEY WERE 'NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT; BUT IF YOU WANT TO; YOU CAN.' NO QUALITY ASSURANCE REVIEW ANNOTATED IN LOG; OR TO MY KNOWLEDGE; HAS BEEN CONDUCTED.

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.