Pct approach controller states management approved 6 special flts in 1 day; all at the same time in ...

Attributes
ACN	692011
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pct.tracon
State Reference	VA
Environment
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach controller : radar
Qualification	controller : military controller : radar
Experience	controller time certified in position1 : 6
ASRS Report	692011
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : pct.tracon

Narrative:

FAA management approved at least 6 special flts in the baltimore/washington ADIZ and class B airspace to take pictures; aerial surveys; and other for-profit business projects -- all at the same time. This caused an extremely unsafe situation. Controllers had to vector IFR aircraft out of the way of these extra flts. Controllers were distraction by the constant requests and confusing project maps of these aircraft. I feel this event was a failure of FAA management; an unsafe situation; as well as a security risk. Who are these people taking photos for extended periods? I propose that all for-profit business projects such as photography; aerial surveys; etc. Be banned from the baltimore/washington ADIZ airspace. Companies will have to find other ways to obtain this data; with satellite photography a suggestion. Although the individual controller has the option of rejecting all these special flts; FAA management has 'set them up' for disaster as well as give these users the perception their request was approved earlier.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PCT APCH CTLR STATES MGMNT APPROVED 6 SPECIAL FLTS IN 1 DAY; ALL AT THE SAME TIME IN TERMINAL AREA. CTLR BELIEVES THESE FLTS SHOULD BE BANNED FROM PCT AIRSPACE.

Narrative: FAA MGMNT APPROVED AT LEAST 6 SPECIAL FLTS IN THE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON ADIZ AND CLASS B AIRSPACE TO TAKE PICTURES; AERIAL SURVEYS; AND OTHER FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS PROJECTS -- ALL AT THE SAME TIME. THIS CAUSED AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE SITUATION. CTLRS HAD TO VECTOR IFR ACFT OUT OF THE WAY OF THESE EXTRA FLTS. CTLRS WERE DISTR BY THE CONSTANT REQUESTS AND CONFUSING PROJECT MAPS OF THESE ACFT. I FEEL THIS EVENT WAS A FAILURE OF FAA MGMNT; AN UNSAFE SITUATION; AS WELL AS A SECURITY RISK. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE TAKING PHOTOS FOR EXTENDED PERIODS? I PROPOSE THAT ALL FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS PROJECTS SUCH AS PHOTOGRAPHY; AERIAL SURVEYS; ETC. BE BANNED FROM THE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON ADIZ AIRSPACE. COMPANIES WILL HAVE TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO OBTAIN THIS DATA; WITH SATELLITE PHOTOGRAPHY A SUGGESTION. ALTHOUGH THE INDIVIDUAL CTLR HAS THE OPTION OF REJECTING ALL THESE SPECIAL FLTS; FAA MGMNT HAS 'SET THEM UP' FOR DISASTER AS WELL AS GIVE THESE USERS THE PERCEPTION THEIR REQUEST WAS APPROVED EARLIER.

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.

Pct approach controller states management approved 6 special flts in 1 day; all at the same time in terminal area. Controller believes these flts should be banned from pct airspace.