AN MD11 PIC RPT ON A POSSIBLE INCURSION INTO R-5311 DURING DEP PROC. RPTR CITES RESTR AREA'S LOCATION MAKES ANY TKOF AND DEP PROC DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE WITH A HVY ACFT.
Synopsis
AN MD11 PIC RPT ON A POSSIBLE INCURSION INTO R-5311 DURING DEP PROC. RPTR CITES RESTR AREA'S LOCATION MAKES ANY TKOF AND DEP PROC DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE WITH A HVY ACFT.
Narrative
RESTR AREA INCURSION R5311; LIVE FIRE RANGE DROP ZONE. DUE TO FLT PARAMETERS OF HVY WDB ACFT LARGE CHANGES AND MODIFICATIONS TO STANDARD TKOF AND DEP PROFILE ARE NECESSARY TO AVOID R5311 FROM A TKOF ON RWY 23 AT POPE AFB (POB). THESE CHANGES TO STANDARD OPERATING PROFILES MAY EXCEED OR AT VERY LEAST MAY AFFECT SAFETY MARGINS BUILT INTO OPS OF MD11 ACFT; IE; LARGE TURN AT LOW ALT TO AVOID RESTR AREA. IN MY OPINION R5311 IS SITUATED TOO CLOSE TO ARPT TFC AREA AND DEP COURSE FOR RWY 23; AT LEAST FOR TRANSPORT CATEGORY ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR HAD FLOWN INTO POPE FIELD ON A TROOP CARRYING MISSION AND WAS FLYING OUT EMPTY; TO REPOSITION THE ACFT. BEFORE THE DEP HE AND THE FO REVIEWED THE AREA CHART. THE FO HAD BEEN A MIL PLT AND WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. THE TWR CTLR WAS MIL ALSO AND AS THE FLT WAS ON THE TKOF ROLL; HE SAID; 'STAY CLR OF THE RANGE.' THE FLT HAD BEEN ISSUED A R TURN AFTER TKOF TO A 'NORTHERLY' HEADING. THERE WAS NO OTHER CLRNC THAT GAVE ANY SENSE OF URGENCY. AFTER THE ACFT WAS 'CLEANED UP' THE DEP CTLR (FAY) SAID; 'I REALIZE YOU'RE HVY BUT YOU ARE ENTERING THE RANGE.' HE THEN GAVE THEM A TURN TO 310 DEGS. RPTR ADMITS TO BEING LATE ON THE TURN BUT WAS TOO FOCUSED ON THE CLEANING UP OF THE ACFT PRIOR TO MAKING THE TURN. THE RPTR'S CONCERN IS THAT IF THE RANGE WAS HOT; THEY SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A TURN INSTRUCTION WITH AN ALT; SUCH AS '...START TURN AT 500 FT.' THE CAPT FEELS THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME FORM OF CTL OR MORE OF A SENSE OF URGENCY AND PRIOR PLANNING ON THE PART OF THE MIL CTLR SO AS TO ASSIST THE DEP FLT IN ITS FLT PATH AROUND OR AWAY FROM THE RESTR AREA. THE RANGE IS TO THE S AND W; PERHAPS A L TURN AWAY FROM THE RANGE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PRACTICAL. IN THIS INCIDENT THE SURFACE WINDS FAVORED THE RWY 23 DEP.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.