TSA-TRACON
LETTER OF AGREEMENT
As all of you know, TSA is located immediately south of the DFW Class B
airspace. Depending on traffic volumes, runway conditions and
other variables, we can and should expect to see airline passenger
aircraft flying near TSA on any day. On days when traffic is
landing to the North at DFW and Love Field, however, glider pilots
flying at TSA need to be especially alert to the possiblity of
corporate and passenger jets flying close to TSA at altitudes where
gliders may also be operating.
In order to improve awareness on the part of both glider pilots and the
Dallas-Fort Worth area air traffic control folks, the TSA Airport
Committee has been working with the FAA ATC folks to try and craft a
solution to the large number of overflights of TSA at relatively low
altitude by corporate jets and airliners when DFW and DAL are landing
north. The Committee had crafted a 4 part response to the problem that
went ito effect in April 2006. TSA has recently amended the agreement with a
modification that is effective December 19, 2006:
1. The first (and perhaps most important) part of the
response is to remind all TSA pilots of their obligation to use the
good visibility present in glider cockpits to see and avoid the traffic
in question.
2. The second part of the response was to negotiate an agreement
with Dallas-Fort Worth TRACON and Love Field ATC regarding mutual
notification of operations. This agreement will not eliminate the
amount of heavy metal traffic flying over or near TSA, but constitutes
a good faith effort on the part of all to (a) minimize it and (b)
highten awareness of it.
3. The third part of the response will be an ongoing effort to
make the airline and corporate pilots aware of our presence through
training.
4. The final part of the response is to investigate and implement
traffic avoidance technology in our sailplanes.
The December 12, 2006 letter agreement between TRACON, Love Field ATC and
TSA is available by clicking on the link below. All TSA pilots
should read the letter agreement and be familiar with the mutual
responsibilities
the agreement imposes. Also available below is a graphic that
shows the
location of the two arrival routes referenced in the letter
and their relationship to TSA. The KNEAD/TILLA route is to the
west of TSA; the DODJE/CABBY arrival route is located to
the east of TSA. In essence, TRACON has agreed to undetake its
"best efforts" to vector jet traffic that are on these arrival routes
well to the north of TSA before the traffic decends to altitudes where
TSA gliders are likely to be flying on most days.
Any TSA member with questions about these procedures are invited to
contact a
member of the TSA Airport Committee.