Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15; Flight Crew Total 700; Flight Crew Type 350
Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Airspace Structure; Chart Or Publication; Procedure
There are two VFR arrival points being used at RVS called 'Turnpike Split' and 'Cross Creek Warehouse'.  Neither of these arrival points are charted and neither are readily located by any normal level of flight planning before being directed to one of them by ATC.  The only place I have found written reference to them is buried 3 pages deep on the airport association website.  The Turnpike Split is located approximately 7 miles westsouthwest of RVS and the Cross Creek Warehouse is located approximately 8 miles southeast of RVS.  The potential safety issue is that there are charted VFR checkpoints; SAPULPA and BIXBY; located within 1 mile of each of them that pilots unfamiliar with this local procedure are likely to use as their initial ATC reporting point.  This has the potential to place multiple aircraft landing at RVS within close proximity to each other at similar altitudes.  For example; an aircraft approaching RVS from the westsouthwest might contact Tulsa Approach over SAPULPA while Approach is directing another aircraft to the Turnpike Split at the same time.  If the aircraft over SAPULPA flies directly to RVS they will also directly overfly the Turnpike Split within 30 seconds.  That isn't much time for ATC to identify the conflict; relay the conflict to the aircraft; and direct one or both aircraft to take evasive action.  Since both SAPULPA and the Turnpike Split are not within Class C or D airspace; it is possible that a transient pilot could be overflying SAPULPA while a local pilot who is familiar with the procedure is simultaneously flying to the Turnpike Split and neither pilot is talking to ATC and receiving separation services.  Compounding the issue is the level of traffic at RVS.  At times when it is extremely busy it is difficult to communicate effectively with ATC and pilots unfamiliar with the local procedure must request vectors to the arrival points since they are not charted.  This creates unnecessary congestion on the radio.  It seems like a better solution would be to simply use the checkpoints that have been in place for decades and can be seen on the chart instead of making up arrival points that are in nearly the same place and are not readily identified to transient pilots.
Pilot reported two VFR reporting points near RVS airport published on the airport association website are close to VFR checkpoints published on VFR Charts. The reporter points out this has the potential to lead aircraft into a conflict as they are outside of airspace requiring communication with ATC.