P31 CTLR DESCRIBED FAILED COORD EFFORT WITH ADJACENT FAC BY SUPVRS REGARDING A 3 ACFT PHOTO MISSION.
Synopsis
P31 CTLR DESCRIBED FAILED COORD EFFORT WITH ADJACENT FAC BY SUPVRS REGARDING A 3 ACFT PHOTO MISSION.
Narrative
I WAS WORKING THE E RADAR POS. BEFORE I TOOK THE POS; THE SUPVR HAD INFORMED ME THAT THERE MAY BE 3 C172'S DEPARTING PNS TO TAKE PHOTOS THROUGHOUT THE AIRSPACE AT 2500 FT. HE PROVIDED A MAP THAT SHOWED THE TRACKS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO FLY -- THE TRACKS PRETTY MUCH COVERED THE ENTIRE AIRSPACE. AFTER A FEW MINS; THE 3 CESSNAS DEPARTED PNS ONE AFTER THE OTHER. ONE BEGAN WORKING JUST OFF THE DEP END OF RWY 8 (THE ACTIVE RWY) AT 2500 FT. ANOTHER WANTED TO FLY A TRACK THAT WOULD TRANSITION NFJ CLASS D AIRSPACE AS WELL AS ENTER R2915. THE THIRD WANTED TO WORK IN CLOSE PROX TO NPA AT 2500 FT. NO COORD HAD BEEN EFFECTED WITH ANY OF THE SURROUNDING; AFFECTED FACILITIES. WE HAD TO HOLD JET DEPS DOWN TO 2000 FT OFF BOTH PNS AND NPA BECAUSE THE CESSNAS WERE WORKING OFF THE DEP ENDS OF THE ACTIVE RWY. EGLIN APCH (WHICH IS THE CTLING FACILITY FOR R2915) WAS UNAWARE OF THE PHOTO MISSIONS. WE WERE REQUIRED TO COORD WITH EGLIN MISSION CTL NUMEROUS TIMES AS ONE OF THE CESSNAS ENTERED/LEFT THE RESTR AREA AS EGLIN HAD ACTIVE MISSIONS (INCLUDING SOME LIVE FIRE) DURING THIS TIME. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT PENSACOLA TRACON HAD THE INFO ON THESE PHOTO MISSIONS SEVERAL DAYS IN ADVANCE; BUT NO ONE BOTHERED TO COORD/PASS ON THE INFO TO ANY OF THE AFFECTED FACILITIES. IN ADDITION; SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST MADE AN ATTEMPT TO CONDUCT THESE MISSIONS DURING PERIODS OF LOW TFC AND/OR DIFFERENT RWY CONFIGNS. INSTEAD; IT WAS EXPECTED THAT THE CTLRS ON THE SECTORS TO JUST WORK AROUND THE PHOTO ACFT. THIS LED TO MUCH CONFUSION AND EXTRA COORD. AND THE NUMBER OF TFC CALLS THAT WERE REQUIRED WERE DOUBLED OR TRIPLED DUE TO THE PHOTO ACFT WORKING IN THE DEP PATH OFF ALL THE DEPS OFF PNS AND MANY OF THE DEPS OFF NPA.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.