King Air 100 A/B
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Procedure
I was working Local South at the time; I had a few departures for Runway 25R; and constant arrivals for 25L. A heavy B767 checked on frequency; and I cleared the B767 to land 25L. A B737 checked on frequency and I issued Wake Turbulence advisory; position of traffic; wind; and cleared to land Runway 25L. It is standard practice between PHX and P50; that if P50 is responsible for separation within four miles of the threshold; and that P50 already issued Visual Separation due to wake turbulence to put in the Flight Data block; a 'V' then the runway before switching the aircraft to Tower. This B737 had a 'VL' in the Data Block; so he was maintaining visual with the B767. The third aircraft was the King Air and he checked in on frequency; with a 'VL' for the traffic they were following; the B737. I again issued wake turbulence; position of aircraft; wind; and cleared to land Runway 25L. I asked the B737 if he would like to land on 25R; issued a new landing clearance. I then told the King Air that the B737 was moving; and again issued wake turbulence advisory. The spacing between the three arrivals began to decrease slightly; but for a wake turbulence application the two trailing aircraft had visual on the preceding aircraft for wake turbulence and was maintaining visual from the TRACON. As I was departing aircraft and issuing hold instructions; I noticed the King Air was inside six miles with the heavy B767 about to cross the threshold but with the B737 in between the two. The King Air was visual with the B737; but I was unsure if they aircraft had visual on the heavy as well. I was unable to ask the King Air if he had the heavy in sight; because the heavy had already crossed the threshold. The runways are less than 2;500 FT apart; 25L and 25R are considered a single runway because of the possible effects of wake turbulence. With the B737 moved to the parallel runway; the King Air still had wake turbulence on the B737; and possibly the heavy. I am unsure if the small King Air had to also have visual on the heavy if there was a large in between the two of them? I would recommend to always apply visual separation if in your judgment less than standard separation may exist; and to not wait and see if it will work out. In this scenario I assumed the TRACON would issue the traffic to the King Air on the large and heavy.
A PHX Controller expressed some doubt as to whether or not appropriate required wake turbulence procedures were utilized during parallel runway arrival operations.