Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 21.0
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter VFR In IMC
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance
Chart Or Publication; Company Policy; Manuals; Procedure
Recently we had a situation where two VFR pipeline aircraft entered our Charlie Surface area while the surface area was IFR. When questioned by the Supervisor the controller's response was that both pilots reported being VFR. Our district has determined that since both aircraft reported being VFR there was no problem with the operation. By this logic I could climb in my aircraft to 19;500 feet and there would be no problem because I am VFR. Simply put; this seems like a dangerous precedent to teach new controllers. What happens when the VFR pilot in an IFR surface area encounters inadvertent IMC and crashes because of it?I have been a controller and a pilot [for many years] and never in my experience has it been okay for an aircraft to operate in an IFR surface area without being either IFR; SVFR or VFR on Top. In this instance none of those conditions were met. I believe the District has made an error in interpolation; thank you for your time.
MAF Controller reported VFR aircraft were allowed to conduct operations in an IFR Class C airspace.