How Close Is Too Close?

The FAA is trying to figure out whether 200 feet is enough when it comes to vertical separation between civilian traffic at Mather Airport and USAF trainers at Beale AFB (CA). Recently Sacramento County squeezed in construction for a new school by bumping some civilian traffic up to 1800' AGL from 1500' on approach to Mather. Implemented in September, the new rule didn't change the altitude for USAF T-38 trainers flying in and out of Beale AFB. They still fly at 2000'. Now, Sacramento County Airports Deputy Director Frances Sheretz wants the FAA to review a complaint from corporate pilot Mike Gallagher.

"A botched job of trying to change the traffic pattern altitude at Mather did not take into account the military traffic," Gallagher said. The "high volume of T-38 traffic" was overlooked.

But Airports Director Hardy Acreea disagrees. "We've had verbal reassurance from the FAA that this is not an issue." He says the county ask for the FAA's opinion only because "we just wanted an official opinion on that."

So far, even Gallagher, who once flew in T-38s, admits there haven't been any problems with vertical separation. But he's worried about what might be. "The potential for this type of problem is small," acknowledged Gallagher, who has flown T-38s. "But the problem it could cause could be huge. And the cost to fix it is virtually nothing. If something does go wrong, it's not going to take very long. T-38s move very fast and they're hard to see."

The traffic pattern around Mather is crowded and very complex. There are multiple flight levels for different types of aircraft. There are also multiple jurisdictions involved -- including the FAA and the military.

The idea was to raise the roof and build the school. GA traffic was to be bumped up from 1000' AGL to 1300' in the vicinity of the airport. The FAA didn't go for that. But corporate traffic, including multi-engine turbine and jet aircraft, was bumped up from 1500' to 1800' after the county mandate in August. Military traffic flies at 2000'.

How safe is a 200' vertical separation between the commercial and the military traffic? "I have no T-38 experience," says Assistant Airports Director Sheretz. "I don't know. I'm not in a position to have an opinion on it one way or another."

Last Monday, Sherertz reminded the FAA of the request for an opinion. "I don't want them to forget about it," she said. "I'm trying to be the squeaky wheel."

Military pilots at Beale seem quite aware of the issue. Earlier this month, one pilot sent an e-mail to Beale airspace manager John Schuller and sent copies to four other officers at Beale. The letter describes the new 1,800-foot level at Mather as "min spacing" and suggests Beale pilots remain "extremely vigilant until we can aid in the correction of the turbojet traffic pattern altitude."

Until then, the letter advises, "Keep your eyes out of the cockpit and make sure the tower knows you are flying at 2100 MSL (2,000 feet above ground)."

FMI: http://airports.co.sacramento.ca.us, www.beale.af.mil/index.html