Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 4
Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Troubleshooting; Workload
Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Procedure; Aircraft; Human Factors
The tower supervisor coordinated with S56 a specific plan to handle a parachute operation that was in progress east of SLC.  The Tracon was supposed to let us know when the Jumpers were 2 to 3 minutes from jumping.  At that point the Tracon was going to hold all VFR aircraft out that would cause a problem for the jumpers until we called them and reported that the jumpers were on the ground. The first time the jump aircraft called jumpers away the Tracon had already gave us a VFR aircraft after the fact; but we were able to call off the jump until that VFR aircraft landed.  The next time the Jump aircraft reported jumpers away the jumpers did jump this time.  The jump aircraft exited the Bravo airspace and told the Tracon controller that the jumpers were down and clear; but we were informed that the pilot was not in communication with the jumpers so there was know way for him to know they were all on the ground.  We had already coordinated that we would tell the Tracon when they could start sending VFR back into the airspace; but that didn't happen.  The Tracon just took the jump report from the pilot and resumed normal ops. The Tracon controller started to let the VFR aircraft(s) back into Bravo again; thinking the jumpers were down; but the tower could still see one parachute still in the air.  We tried to get the Tracon to hold the VFR aircraft(s) out; but we ended up having to move the VFR's out of the way on our own until we observed all the jumpers were down.  The jump pilot obviously assumed the jumpers were down; but that wasn't the case.We have these parachute jumps every year and they never go as planned. They are always planned at very busy times and very close to the airport.  I don't think it is a safe operation and I think it should not be allowed to do any more.
SLC Controller reports of miscommunication between TRACON and Tower reference jumpers being on the ground and allowing aircraft in close proximity.