ZOA CTLR IDENTIFIES POOR RADAR COVERAGE ON AND EAST OF V485 BETWEEN PANOS INTXN AND GILRO INTXN.
Synopsis
ZOA CTLR IDENTIFIES POOR RADAR COVERAGE ON AND EAST OF V485 BETWEEN PANOS INTXN AND GILRO INTXN.
Narrative
I AM A CTLR AT OAK ARTCC. I HAVE BEEN QUALIFIED AT SECTOR #11 FORE XX MONTHS. IN THIS TIME I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE RADAR COVERAGE IN THIS SECTOR HAS BEEN POOR TO NIL BELOW 8000' MSL. SPECIFIC AREAS OF PROB ARE V485 BTWN PANOS INTXN AND GILRO INTXN. THIS IS A MAJOR ARR CORRIDOR TO SJC; WITH SEVERAL SMALL UNCTLED ARPTS IN THE VICINITY. OUR LETTER OF AGREEMENT WITH BAY APCH CALLS FOR JETS TO BE AT 8000' AT GILRO AND PROPS TO BE AT 6000' THERE. TOO OFTEN THESE IFR ACFT GO INTO 'COAST' (NO TRACKING OF TARGET OR TRANSPONDER); OR WE DISCOVER VFR TFC AT THE LAST MINUTE. ADDITIONALLY ACFT WILL ASK; 'ARE YOU SHOWING A VFR IN OUR POS?'; AND WE WILL NOT HAVE A TARGET. MGMNT/TECHS ARE AWARE OF THE DEFICIENCY; BUT UNTIL SOMEBODY GETS KILLED; NO MONEY WILL BE SPENT TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION. CTLRS HAVE WRITTEN UCR'S (UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION RPTS); BUT RESPONSE FROM UPSTAIRS IS 'NO FUNDING AVAILABLE.' I GUESS ALL THIS GOES UNDER THE HEADING OF 'SEE AND AVOID.' EVEN WHEN YOU ARE IN RADAR CONTACT; 25 NM FROM THE RWY IN A TURBO JET WITH 200 PEOPLE RIDING WITH YOU; THERE COULD BE SOMEBODY AT '12 O'CLOCK AND A BLOCK;' AND ATC MIGHT NOT ISSUE THE TFC BECAUSE IT'S NOT DISPLAYED ON THE RADAR! AND THIS IS THE 1980'S!!
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.