JAX APCH CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING VQQ'S WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH JAX TRACON.

Date: 2006-04

Anomalies: other-satellite-twr-problem

Synopsis

JAX APCH CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING VQQ'S WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH JAX TRACON.

Narrative

WE HAVE 4 CONTRACT (RVA) TWRS IN OUR AIRSPACE; 3 OF WHICH WORK VERY WELL WITH US AND EVERYONE ELSE. WE HAVE ONE; HOWEVER; THAT REFUSES TO PLAY ALONG AND DOES NOTHING BUT CAUSE HATE AND DISCONTENT. THIS FACILITY; CECIL FIELD (VQQ) HAS OVERLAPPING CLASS D AIRSPACE WITH NAVY JAX (NIP). THIS HAS BEEN SUCH A PROB WITH NAVY JAX; THAT THEY (NIP) WERE CLOSING THEIR RADAR/CGA ROOM DUE TO THIS ONGOING DISPUTE WITH CECIL FIELD. AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE MEMO ATTACHED; THIS HAS TRIPLED THE WORKLOAD OF THIS SECTOR. CECIL FIELD HAS BEEN A PROB. WHEN WE FOUND OUT WE WERE GETTING THE SUPER BOWL IN 2005; WE MANAGED TO EQUIP ALL OF OUR SATELLITE TWRS WITH D-BRITES. VQQ DIDN'T WANT THEIRS; INSISTING THAT THEY WEREN'T RADAR CTLRS. WE PLACED IT IN THEIR TWR AND THEY WERE TRAINED TO USE THE D-BRITE. IT WAS ONLY A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE THEY WERE UTILIZING THE D-BRITE TO CALL DEALS ON US AND DEVS ON NIP FOR BUSTING THE OVERLAPPING CLASS D AIRSPACE. THEY HAVE TREATED THEIR CLASS D AIRSPACE LIKE IT'S THE WHITE HOUSE. THEY WATCH; WAIT AND THEN CALL WHEN A VFR OR SOMEONE ELSE BUSTS IT. WE ALSO HAVE A NON CTLED FIELD NE OF THEM (4 NM; HEG) THAT WE HAVE TO POINT OUT THE TFC LNDG THERE TO THEM. THEY WILL ROUTINELY GIVE US A RESTR LIKE; AT OR ABOVE 2000 FT TO STAY OUT OF THEIR AIRSPACE; MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE ARRS TO GET DOWN. THE STICKER IS THE FACT THAT YOU CAN CLRLY SEE ON THE RADAR THAT THEY HAVE NO TFC. WE RECENTLY HAD TO REDO OUR LOA WITH THEM. WITH EVERY OTHER CONTRACT FACILITY IN OUR AIRSPACE; WE HAVE A REQUIREMENT THAT THE TWR CALL US WHEN AN IFR DEP DOESN'T TAG UP WITHIN 2-3 MI. THIS FACILITY REFUSED TO DO IT; SAYING THEY AREN'T TRAINED TO USE THE EQUIP. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE SINCE NIP HAS THE TRAINING AND THE RADAR ROOM TO RUN THEIR (OWN) APCHS.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.