PLT RPTR CONCERNED WITH CLL ARPT'S TFC VOLUME AND LACK OF ZHU RADAR COVERAGE TO THE SURFACE SO AS TO PROVIDE A MORE COMPLETE SVC TO THE USER -- MIL; CIVIL AND ACR.

Narrative

THIS ARPT (EASTERWOOD FIELD; COLLEGE STATION; TX CLL) IS A REGIONAL ARPT THAT SERVES A WIDE VARIETY OF COMMERCIAL (SCHEDULE ACR'S); BUSINESS; MIL; MIL TRAINING; AND LIGHT GA ACFT. THERE IS NO RADAR SVC AVAILABLE TO THE AIRSPACE. ZHU'S RADAR COVERAGE ONLY EXTENDS DOWN TO 3000 FT MSL DUE TO EQUIP AND TERRAIN LIMITATIONS. DUE TO THE HIGH CONCENTRATION OF TRAINING ACFT (MIL AND CIVILIAN); THE LCL CTLRS ARE OFTEN OVER-TASKED BY HAVING TO PROVIDE NAV SVCS TO PLTS THAT ARE DISORIENTED (READ THAT: LOST). THIS SIT IS FURTHER AGGRAVATED BY THE LACK OF EASILY RECOGNIZABLE LANDMARKS; DIFFERENCES IN TRAINING LEVELS AND PHRASEOLOGY; AND THE USE OF BOTH UHF AND VHF COMS. A RADAR DISPLAY (EITHER A REMOTE DISPLAY OR BRITE SYS) WOULD GREATLY ENHANCE SAFETY AND REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR MIDAIR COLLISIONS. THIS IS AN ON-GOING PROB. BECAUSE THE PLTS ARE USUALLY IN A TRAINING ENVIRONMENT (BOTH MIL AND CIVILIAN) THIS PROB REPEATS ITSELF ON A REGULAR BASIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR FLIES REGULARLY INTO CLL AND IS CONCERNED WITH THE COMPLEX ACFT TYPE AND PLT EXPERIENCE LEVEL MIX. RPTR BELIEVES TWR RADAR AVAILABILITY WOULD ENHANCE USER SVC.