ADS-B and ATC

[Rich]

We have a problem around our area with conflicts among airline traffic in/out of Redmond, casual VFR flying, and lots of flight school activity in a relatively small area. It's also complicated by having the only VOR within 100 miles parked 6 miles from Redmond airport.

We had a presentation last week on the problems it causes: many, many conflict alerts (CA), TCAS incidents and aborted approaches. The presentation was explicit in that there are no regulations being broken. Last year a new ATC sector/frequency for center was created that encompasses this area to deal with the frequency congestion portion of this. By itself it doesn't help much with these other problems.

Here's what I learned: if you're squawking 1200, their equipment suppresses ADS-B unless the system flags a CA, suddenly revealing your N number. Again, this doesn't mean a regulation is being broken.

So the (totally local) workaround in the area is: monitor this fairly local center frequency (126.15) and if you are ADS-B out, squawk 1237, thereby bypassing the system "feature". Then if ATC needs to they know you can be contacted directly to request a particular action.

[Rich]

They put together KML files showing the routes (with altitudes over or under) that they use for approaches into RDM. Conflicts with approaches are where they have the most serious problems. This airport has just 1 ILS approach and the only one within 100 miles. This illustrates the various directions for that RWY 23 (ILS or RNAV) , which is the most problematic for me, given I'm based at S39. They provided similar ones for the RNAV RWY 5 and RWY 29 routes. The RWY 50 RNAV runs right by that single VOR where numerouse sweaty-palm students are practicing hold. RWY 29 RNAV comes right through a "practice area" used by a local flight school.