PHL CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING BANNER TOW OPS OVER ADJACENT STADIUM.
Synopsis
PHL CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING BANNER TOW OPS OVER ADJACENT STADIUM.
Narrative
DURING THIS OP AN APPROVED BANNER TOW ACFT WAS HOLDING OVER THE ADJACENT STADIUM AREA. THE ACFT WAS INSTRUCTED TO REMAIN: 1) VFR; 2) N OF THE RWY 26 ARR CORRIDOR; 3) E OF THE RWY 35 DEP CORRIDOR; 4) AT OR BELOW 1000 FT. THE VISIBILITY WAS RPTED AS 7 MI; HOWEVER SLANT VISIBILITY WAS MORE OBSCURED DUE TO HAZE. I WAS UNABLE TO VISUALLY ACQUIRE THE ACFT WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF BINOCULARS. THE SKYLINE OF THE CITY WAS VISIBLE; BUT BROKEN DUE TO THE HAZE. THIS OP IS PERMITTED IN THE PHILADELPHIA CLASS B AIRSPACE PERMITTED THE WX CONDITIONS ARE VFR. HOWEVER I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS TO BE IN KEEPING WITH THE SEPARATION STANDARDS OF THE 7110.65. THE STADIUM AREA IS LOCATED IN AN AREA WHICH ACFT DSNDING INBOUND TO PHILADELPHIA INTL ON THE RWY 9R LOC ARE AT CO-ALT WITH THE BANNER TOW ACFT. THE BANNER TOW ACFT IS NOT 1 1/2 MI FROM THE INBOUND TFC. ALTHOUGH TA'S ARE PROVIDED TO EACH INBOUND ACFT TO PHL THE ACFT ARE UNABLE TO VISUALLY ACQUIRE THE BANNER TOW UNTIL INSIDE OF 3 MI FROM IT; AND WILL EVENTUALLY PASS THE TFC AND COMPLETELY LOSE SIGHT OF IT. THIS MEANS THAT EVEN THOUGH VISUAL SEPARATION IS BEING APPLIED IT IS NOT BEING APPLIED CORRECTLY SINCE APPROVED SEPARATION WAS NOT APPLIED BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER ITS APPLICATION. THE ORBITING TFC IS ALSO UNABLE TO PROVIDE CORRECT APPLICATION OF VISUAL SEPARATION. IT MAY BE ABLE TO SEE THE LARGER JETS FROM FURTHER AWAY; BUT ITS MANEUVERS WILL CAUSE IT TO LOSE SIGHT FROM THE ACFT AND ONCE AGAIN VISUAL SEPARATION IS IMPROPERLY APPLIED. ALL OF THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE ADDED BURDEN AND INCREASED WORKLOAD THAT THESE OPS BRING ON AN ALREADY TASK SATURATED SECTOR AT A BUSY INTL ARPT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.