Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 48.7; Flight Crew Total 8783; Flight Crew Type 2561
Workload; Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface; Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related; Airspace Structure; Airport; Procedure
On our flight to BED we began our descent and discussed in our approach briefing that the conditions of the day (light wind; no clouds; and a weekend) were conducive to there being numerous small planes flying around. When we got switched over to the final Boston approach controller on 124.4; it was immediately evident that he had his hands full with many airplanes on the frequency. Several of the planes on frequency sounded as though they didn't have a lot of radio experience (slow responses; non-concise read backs; etc) which made the situation more difficult. BED was landing on runway 11; we were getting vectored to the west of the airport. As we passed abeam the north side of BED we called the airport in sight; but were not cleared for a visual approach. I believe this is because the controller was working another plane through an IFR approach which conflicted with the airspace we would have required to conduct our visual to 11 at KBED. He even asked the plane to cancel IFR so he could use the airspace. While this was happening we ended up considerably farther west of KBED than we normally would get vectored for a visual approach. The controller finally gave us a base turn and as we progressed he issued several traffic callouts to us as well. As we were turning final (approximately 10 miles out) we were given a traffic call of a target 1 o'clock at a lower altitude and both of us looked and saw an airplane that appeared to have departed from [a nearby airport]. I called the traffic in sight. The controller then said something about another target and instructed us to turn left heading 090 (a left turn) which the Pilot Flying began to do with the autopilot engaged. As soon as he began to bank to the left; he saw another airplane coming up right in front of us moving right to left so he disengaged the autopilot and immediately rolled back to the right to avoid it. He said later he thought if we had continued the turn to the left we probably would have collided. I told the controller that was way too close and he replied that the plane had come from [a nearby airport] and climbed up underneath us. We saw many targets on our TCAS display; but we never got any warning about the one that nearly ran into us. We came to learn later that our TCAS can only issue an RA if both airplanes are TCAS equipped. As to why we didn't get a TA either; we can only guess that since the plane had just taken off our TCAS didn't have enough time to acquire the target and identify it as a threat.Further discussions with Boston TRACON afterwards confirmed to us that the shape of the Class B airspace around KBOS is such that it forces all of the GA traffic in the area into the west side and right through the approach path to runway 11 at KBED. This is an extremely unsafe situation with jets at 2;000 feet going 200 knots getting vectored for approach are mixed in with all sorts of small GA traffic that has no requirement to contact ATC. 'See and avoid' gets a little ridiculous when they are issuing traffic calls to us almost constantly and we think we see the one they are talking about and yet there is another one climbing right up into our path. Departing a satellite airports should have a requirement to contact either KBED Tower or Boston Approach so they are also aware of what is around them. The Class D airspace around KBED should be extended out to the west to protect the airplanes on approach. There are just too many airplanes in that area for 'see and avoid' to be considered adequate. It is only a matter of time before there is a mid-air collision rather than a near-miss like we had.
I was the pilot-flying with the following conditions: Autopilot engaged; heading on 110 degrees (lined-up with Runway 11 KBED); altitude level at 2;000 feet; and radio on frequency 124.4 (Boston Approach). VMC conditions prevailed the entire arrival route which had been a vectored extended left downwind for Runway 11 coming from the Northeast. We were just about to start our final approach when we were given instructions to look for traffic off our right side. Pilot not-flying gained visual contact with traffic and acknowledged it to Approach. Then Boston Approach gave us instructions to turn to the left for traffic. I started turning the heading knob to commence a left turn and; as I was looking for any additional traffic off our left side; I quickly noticed a small single-engine airplane coming into my view as the roll was started. The other airplane appeared to be below me; slightly to my left; and in a climb. I quickly disengaged the autopilot and rolled the wings to the right to avoid hitting the airplane. I felt no altitude change was necessary and maintained 2000 feet. No TCAS warnings; TA or RA; were alerted by our Honeywell TCAS-2000 system. We notified Boston of the additional traffic and then got back on track for our final approach to Runway 11. A safe landing was completed without any other events occurring after the near collision.I believe that more awareness of the presence of heavy corporate traffic overhead when winds are favoring Runway 11 at KBED needs to be expressed to anyone conducting operations at [a satellite airport]. Also; the awareness of making sure Mode C is turned on when operating within the 30nm ring of KBOS.
A jet aircraft crew on approach to BED described the VFR traffic conflicts in the crowded airspace below BOS Class B.