EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict
General None Reported / Taken
Airspace Structure; Human Factors; Procedure
Working all the positions combined; I had a very high workload. I had around 12 aircraft on frequency. [I had] a skydiving aircraft at C89; which happens to be right in the middle of our airspace where our arrivals and departures go. The skydiving aircraft reported 'jumpers away' at 14;500 and started his descent. An E145 at 120 was northbound in our overflight box. I was busy giving other traffic calls and the E145 said 'Do we have traffic off our right wing?' I looked; and the skydiving aircraft was descending out of 12;300 about 1 mile from the E145. I said 'Yeah; I was just going to point him out; but he's no factor.' No evasive maneuvers were required on either pilot that I know of. Skydiving near C89 is an EXTREMELY dangerous place to be. On 1L; it's literally right over our final about 15 miles south of the airport. But even when we're not on 1L; he is still right in the middle of all our arrivals and departures. All our departures go down one East/West box; and then all of C90's overflights into our airspace go up the East/West box alternatively. Both arrivals and departures range from 6;000 to 13;000 FT; and the skydiving plane usually jumps at 14;500; obviously having to maneuver often from Surface to 14;500 - right in the way of all our arrivals and departures. There is no way that a controller can continually give traffic calls on every arrival/departure in the boxes with the skydiving aircraft. It's a very unsafe procedure; and I think C89 should cease in all skydiving activity. Another issue is that Kenosha's (ENW) VOR 15 final approach course is about 1 mile west of C89. Earlier in that same session; I had a BE36 doing an approach on the VOR 15 into ENW. Again; the skydiving plane was ready to have the jumpers drop; but I had the BE36 below him doing the approach. It just caused for an unsafe procedure with the BE36; skydiving plane; as well as the skydivers themselves!
MKE Controller voiced concern regarding the parachute activity at C89 airport noting a recent conflict between the jump aircraft and an IFR overflight; the reporter describing the parachute activity as dangerous.