Light Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Other DPE
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 25; Flight Crew Total 16000; Flight Crew Type 900
Distraction
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure
Potomac TRACON Chesapeake Sector always issues the BWI altimeter; regardless of the destination of the IFR flight within the sector. This occurs whether the pilot is calling with an initial check-in or being cleared for an approach. TRACON always issues the BWI altimeter; even though they are provided the ESN weather data (Tower/ASOS). Note that BWI and ESN altimeters rarely are the same. When cleared for an instrument approach to ESN; a pilot should be given the ESN altimeter and not BWI's. As a local pilot; I am keenly aware of the discrepancy in altimeter settings provided by the TRACON; therefore; I ignore the altimeter setting given to me by the TRACON. However; transient pilots may overlook the discrepancy and subsequently descend below minimums on an IAP into ESN. I have talked to Chesapeake Sector supervisors about the problem but haven't been successful in convincing TRACON management that their procedures should be changed.
Designated Pilot Examiner believes pilots should always receive destination airport altimeter setting when checking in to the next TRACON controller instead of receiving a common altimeter setting to maintain separation in that sector.