Visual separation banned

[GulfBravoPapa]

“More Dangerous”: FAA & DOT Reportedly Introduce New ATC Separation Mandate Without Guidance

Got the verbal briefing yesterday at work. Visual separation is no longer authorized between helicopters and powered lift aircraft in B, C, and TRSA airspace when crossing an arrival or departure route. Can't wait to see what the unintended consequences of this are.

 

[32andBelow]

just ship them back to center we can do it for you

 

[Atcbrownie]

Oddly, fixed wing aircraft are allowed. So a pipeline patrol aircraft can use visual but a helicopter can't. Makes no sense

 

[KP-ATC]

Oddly, fixed wing aircraft are allowed. So a pipeline patrol aircraft can use visual but a helicopter can't. Makes no sense

It's consistent with making new rules instead of holding shitty controllers accountable.
Be cool if we had any sort of objective standards and recurrent training.

 

[ATOH]

Can't wait to see what the unintended consequences of this are.

Easy. If a medevac helicopter is transitioning anywhere near an aircraft (especially air carriers) on final, send the arrival around. We're not allowed to delay medevacs.

 

[Unable is a full sentence]

Called it.

The linked article mentions Burbank and San Antonio, but I heard there was a big deal at Columbus just a few days ago that finally pushed this over the edge.

Anyone know?

 

[pedaNTIc]

I dunno man. I work helos a lot, and I have had many lie through their teeth reporting traffic in sight that they clearly did not have, or it wasn’t possible…obvious abuse so they could disregard me and do what they want.

 

[GMX]

I dunno man. I work helos a lot, and I have had many lie through their teeth reporting traffic in sight that they clearly did not have, or it wasn’t possible…obvious abuse so they could disregard me and do what they want.

You and me both...not even just helicopters.. There have been a lot of times I've made a traffic call and the alacrity with which they get it "in sight" is pretty dubious. I have had to later turn a guy because it was getting close.

 

[GulfBravoPapa]

Called it.

The linked article mentions Burbank and San Antonio, but I heard there was a big deal at Columbus just a few days ago that finally pushed this over the edge.

Anyone know?

I know there was one at CLE or BKL too not sure about CMH

Edit: nevermind, found the CMH one. Helo reported the FA20 in sight twice and continued to fly right at them.

 

[Cpt_munky]

I dunno man. I work helos a lot, and I have had many lie through their teeth reporting traffic in sight that they clearly did not have, or it wasn’t possible…obvious abuse so they could disregard me and do what they want.

Military choppers are the worst for this, or just disregarding me in the first place and not giving a fuck about the altitude I've assigned. Fine dude, be 400ft higher than assigned when a carrier goes around short final and you're mid field.

 

[SquawkHijack]

This is the most short sighted response to a mid-air incident…

A helicopter in class B airspace flying above the published altitude on a special military route and wearing NODs whacks a CRJ so the FAA says no visual separation for the only type of aircraft that can literally STOP mid flight… I’m honestly not even surprised.

How about clean up DCA’s shitty procedures in their contested airspace or not allow night vision ops in a class B (except for maybe military contingencies). Both of these would be way better and just highlights how dumb and lazy our managers at ATO are…