INSTRUCTOR PLT RECOMMENDS THAT THE SIKORSKY MEMORIAL ARPT (BDR) ATIS INCLUDE THE SIKORSKY HELIPORT (JSD) TWR STATUS NOTAM IN THE ATIS SINCE THE HELIPORT ABUTS TO THE TERMINAL AREA ARPT AND WOULD HELP PLTS IN TRANSITING THE JSD AREA WHEN THE TWR IS OPEN; ESPECIALLY DURING HRS NOT LISTED TO BE OPEN IN THE AFD.
Synopsis
INSTRUCTOR PLT RECOMMENDS THAT THE SIKORSKY MEMORIAL ARPT (BDR) ATIS INCLUDE THE SIKORSKY HELIPORT (JSD) TWR STATUS NOTAM IN THE ATIS SINCE THE HELIPORT ABUTS TO THE TERMINAL AREA ARPT AND WOULD HELP PLTS IN TRANSITING THE JSD AREA WHEN THE TWR IS OPEN; ESPECIALLY DURING HRS NOT LISTED TO BE OPEN IN THE AFD.
Narrative
DEPARTED BDR FOR BAF. CALLED JSD TWR WHICH ABUTS THE BDR CLASS D AIRSPACE FOR TRANSITION TO THE N (APPROVED). JSD CLASS D SURFACE AREA IS ACTIVE ON SATURDAYS XX00 LCL TO SUNSET. A REVIEW OF WX AND NOTAMS DID NOT INDICATE ANY EXCEPTIONS TO THE JSD AIRSPACE. DEPARTED BAF DIRECTLY TO BDR. AT 15 NM N OF BDR; ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT JSD ON 133.6. AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS WITH NO ANSWER; CONTACTED BDR TWR 12 NM N WITH THE CURRENT ATIS AND REQUESTED THE STATUS OF THE JSD CLASS D AIRSPACE. THE BDR TWR INFORMED US THAT THE JSD TWR WAS NOW CLOSED. I QUERIED WHY THE EXCEPTION STATUS OF THE ABUTTING CLASS D AIRSPACE WHICH NOW HAD A NOTAM INDICATING IT WAS CLOSED WAS NOT ON THE ATIS AND WAS TOLD BY THE LCL CTLR THAT IT WAS 'NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.' CLRLY; THE PROCS FOR ATIS REQUIRE THAT NOTAMS FOR THE 'TERMINAL AREA' SHOULD BE INCLUDED ON THE ATIS. WHILE THE JSD HELIPORT BEING CLOSED WHEN WE EXPECT IT TO BE OPEN DOES NOT CREATE A SAFETY OF FLT CONCERN; THE REVERSE SIT IS OFTEN AN ISSUE AND DOES CREATE A SAFETY OF FLT CONCERN. WHEN THE SIKORSKY HELIPORT IS OPERATIONAL DURING PERIODS THAT THE AFD INDICATES IT IS CLOSED; THE HELIPORT CTLRS ISSUE A NOTAM. THIS NOTAM FOR THE EXCEPTION STATUS OF THE HELIPORT ONLY HAS MEANING TO THOSE PLTS WHO KNOW THE DESIGNATOR FOR THE HELIPORT OR HAVE FOUND THE DESIGNATOR ON THE SECTIONAL AERO CHART. AND; THE OPS AT THE HELIPORT INCLUDE FLT TESTING BY CAMOUFLAGED HELIS. ADDITIONALLY; THE SIKORSKY HELIPORT CLASS D AIRSPACE SERIOUSLY ABUTS THE BDR CLASS D AIRSPACE; TOUCHES THE NEW HAVEN CLASS D AIRSPACE; AND IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE ON A SECTIONAL AERO CHART. BASED ON THE ABOVE 3 CRITERIA: 1) THE ATIS PROCS REQUIRE NOTAMS AND PIREPS PERTINENT TO OPS IN THE TERMINAL AREA; 2) THE JSD NOTAM HAS NO MEANING TO MOST PLTS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE OPS; AND 3) THE SIKORSKY HELIPORT CLASS D AIRSPACE IS DIFFICULT TO LOCATE ON THE SECTIONAL AERO CHART. THIS IS A SAFETY OF FLT ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE INCLUSION OF MEANINGFUL INFO ON THE BDR ATIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAS SUBMITTED SEVERAL ASRS RPTS OVER THE LAST 3 YRS RELATIVE TO THIS MATTER AND THE LAST BEING IN APRIL/99. HE HAS SUBMITTED RPTS TO THE FAA REGIONAL OFFICE TO WHICH HE HAS DISCUSSED THIS MATTER WITH A QUALITY ASSURANCE SPECIALIST WHO IS TRYING TO HAVE THE BDR ATIS INCLUDE THE JSD TWR STATUS NOTAM. IN ADDITION; HE HAS DISCUSSED THE MATTER AND MADE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE TWR PERSONNEL OF BDR AND JSD. HE FURTHER CONFIRMED THAT HE MADE A MISTAKE IN HIS NARRATION IN THE IDENT FOR JSD AND IJD AND THE ACFT HE WAS OPERATING AT THE TIME OF THIS RPT WAS AN AMATEUR BUILT SEL SMA LOW WING ACFT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.