Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Airspace Structure; Manuals
Aircraft X was descending towards Greenville Downtown airport. When Aircraft X was 10 miles out the pilot reported the airport in sight and was cleared for the Visual Approach. At that moment a VFR target appeared off the airport next to GMU which is GYH. The VFR target appeared to make a right downwind departure as if to stay in the traffic pattern and leveled off at 1600 feet. Aircraft X was switched to GMU tower. The VFR target having reached the edge of the class C climbed rapidly and turned back into the face of Aircraft X which the shape of the Class C lets them do. The only action the controller could take would have been to call GMU tower and have them call the traffic which by then the conflict would have already happened. By the controllers judgment the two planes were at the same altitude within a half mile with a closing speed over 250 knots. A Very High risk of collision. The configuration of our 3 major airports (GSP;GMU; and GYH) is very unique and complex; and yet the airspace that is around them is a traditional simple design that does NOT protect the airports. There is a very HIGH risk of collision on a daily basis and we keep asking and pleading with anyone who will listen that somebody is likely to get killed if this problem is not fixed. At GSP there can be VFR aircraft that we are not talking to within 400 feet of aircraft on the ILS into GSP setting off evasive TCAS RA's during a critical stage of flight. This is the airport that the Class C is 'supposed' to protect. Donaldson and GMU can launch VFR's into the face of the others traffic with no coordination required. Donaldson is doing this without having a Tower Radar display meaning they have no 'picture' of who else is out there. We have been trying to get them one for a long time and keep getting rejected adding to the safety risk. Donaldson also doesn't have any VFR departure procedures meaning without knowing what IFR traffic is directly above them landing GMU or GSP they can launch a VFR at their discretion. The incident described above caused a near midair collision and everybody was legal in what they did.The airspace and the procedures need to be changed urgently! The Class C has to be reshaped. Having to break IFR aircraft out of the primary airport to avoid a collision with an unknown VFR is a terrible operating procedure. The Class C has to protect the final of GMU and GSP better. Another fix would be to get Donaldson a Tower radar display. If they had seen the IFR aircraft approaching GMU they could have vectored the VFR behind and clear of conflict. We have tried to get VFR departure procedures with GMU and GYH but nothing official has been accomplished. Even something as simple as remain below 1800 feet until outside of the Class D would help. Any of these changes would greatly reduce the risk of IFR/VFR separation loss which is a major safety issue.
A TRACON Controller reported an aircraft on a Visual Approach was handed off to the tower while a VFR aircraft departed an adjacent airport and flew into the the path of the Visual Appproach.