Granted, if ATC is only talking to one aircraft, it isn't as easy to provide
separation as when they are talking to both. However, it is not impossible.
If the VFR target is moving in a straight line, all you need to do is make
sure that the IFR traffic is at a different altitude, or vector them, so
they pass behind the VFR traffic. If the VFR traffic is a glider (which ATC
would know if the NTSB recommendation for a uniform nationwide glider squawk
code was implemented), the appropriate response would be to give the VFR
traffic a wide birth, both latterly and vertically.

Mike Schumann

"Jack" wrote in message
. ..
Mike Schumann wrote:
According to the guys at our local TRACON, when they have IFR traffic
heading directly towards a mode C equipped VFR target, they issue a
traffic advisory to the IFR traffic, but do NOT make an adjustment to the
IFR traffic's flight path. They rely on the IFR pilot to visually see
and avoid the VFR traffic.

In my opinion, this is crazy. We all know how difficult it is to see and
avoid traffic visually. The FAA's rules need to change. They should be
providing separation between all IFR traffic and any other known target.



"They rely on the IFR pilot to visually see and avoid the VFR
traffic." --and vice versa.

There are provisions for IFR traffic to request vectors to avoid known
traffic. If the IFR pilot wants it, he can get it.

On the other hand, give some thought to exactly how separation could be
guaranteed from all other traffic when only one of the aircraft is under
the control of ATC. Your answer to the problem will be that there should
be no aircraft which is not under positive ATC control. Good luck with
that, and good bye to gliding--and a great many other uses of aircraft,
both pleasure- and business-oriented. If the solutions were simple, simple
people like us would have solved the problem long ago.


Jack


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