Narrative:

I am a controller at ZOA ARTCC. I have been qualified as sector #11 (from sjc to sns to pan to oak from surface to FL230) for 14 months. In this time the incidents described herein have occurred with alarming frequency. There are 2 aircraft, both small aircraft type, which climb out in VFR conditions to 12500' MSL for the purpose of parachute jumping. One operates out of hollister, the other from tres pinos. Both aircraft call sector 11 for advisories, in accordance with far 105. The problem is in what they do with traffic advisories. I have had to instruct pilots of both aircraft to 'delay the jump' until traffic clears, since they seldom get traffic in sight. It seems they would gladly kick jumpers out knowing there's traffic in the area, but not in sight. Additionally, the radar coverage is poor at best (see accompanying report) in this area. We frequently lose aircraft (equipped with transponder) at altitudes below 8000' MSL. The jump zones lie on a victor arwy (V485), on the final to one of the bay area's busiest airports, where hundreds of jets/turboprops are vectored for sequencing, etc, descending to 8000' each day. Much time and energy is spent trying to aim these jump aircraft away from IFR inbnds, VFR aircraft, and each other (they climb out to jump altitude in the same vicinity, but don't cooperate with one another). Finally, although both jump zones are listed in the NOAA airport/facility directory, they are not charted on the current sectional.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR COMPLAINT ABOUT SKYDIVING OPERATIONS NEAR VICTOR AIRWAY AND PLT NON COMPLIANCE WITH TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.

Narrative: I AM A CTLR AT ZOA ARTCC. I HAVE BEEN QUALIFIED AS SECTOR #11 (FROM SJC TO SNS TO PAN TO OAK FROM SURFACE TO FL230) FOR 14 MONTHS. IN THIS TIME THE INCIDENTS DESCRIBED HEREIN HAVE OCCURRED WITH ALARMING FREQUENCY. THERE ARE 2 ACFT, BOTH SMA TYPE, WHICH CLB OUT IN VFR CONDITIONS TO 12500' MSL FOR THE PURPOSE OF PARACHUTE JUMPING. ONE OPERATES OUT OF HOLLISTER, THE OTHER FROM TRES PINOS. BOTH ACFT CALL SECTOR 11 FOR ADVISORIES, IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 105. THE PROB IS IN WHAT THEY DO WITH TFC ADVISORIES. I HAVE HAD TO INSTRUCT PLTS OF BOTH ACFT TO 'DELAY THE JUMP' UNTIL TFC CLEARS, SINCE THEY SELDOM GET TFC IN SIGHT. IT SEEMS THEY WOULD GLADLY KICK JUMPERS OUT KNOWING THERE'S TFC IN THE AREA, BUT NOT IN SIGHT. ADDITIONALLY, THE RADAR COVERAGE IS POOR AT BEST (SEE ACCOMPANYING RPT) IN THIS AREA. WE FREQUENTLY LOSE ACFT (EQUIPPED WITH TRANSPONDER) AT ALTS BELOW 8000' MSL. THE JUMP ZONES LIE ON A VICTOR ARWY (V485), ON THE FINAL TO ONE OF THE BAY AREA'S BUSIEST ARPTS, WHERE HUNDREDS OF JETS/TURBOPROPS ARE VECTORED FOR SEQUENCING, ETC, DSNDING TO 8000' EACH DAY. MUCH TIME AND ENERGY IS SPENT TRYING TO AIM THESE JUMP ACFT AWAY FROM IFR INBNDS, VFR ACFT, AND EACH OTHER (THEY CLB OUT TO JUMP ALT IN THE SAME VICINITY, BUT DON'T COOPERATE WITH ONE ANOTHER). FINALLY, ALTHOUGH BOTH JUMP ZONES ARE LISTED IN THE NOAA ARPT/FAC DIRECTORY, THEY ARE NOT CHARTED ON THE CURRENT SECTIONAL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.