<< >> NASA ASRS Report 109254, April 1989

Pilots requesting reason for control instructions issued by the controller causes frequency congestion.

Attributes
ACN	109254
Time
Date	198904
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ave
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 7 controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	109254
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

This is not so much a specific problem as much as a recurring trend. The FAA is increasingly using en route spacing programs (esp) to sequence and space aircraft en route to an airport. This provides an orderly flow of traffic starting at a specific point, thence to the airport. The problem is this: more and more air carrier pilots are demanding an explanation of the frequency as to why they got a speed restriction, vector off route, then normal speed and normal navigation back on course. On the surface it seems capricious, but we are only trying to work them into the flow. They are disrupting the frequency, wasting time and creating bad will between controllers and pilots (as thought it isn't already tense). Perhaps an increase in patience and professionalism would help. Alternatively, a phone call or visit to the ARTCC, approach control, etc. Maybe putting a face together with the voice on the radio will ease the tension. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLTS REQUESTING REASON FOR CTL INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED BY THE CTLR CAUSES FREQ CONGESTION.

Narrative: THIS IS NOT SO MUCH A SPECIFIC PROB AS MUCH AS A RECURRING TREND. THE FAA IS INCREASINGLY USING ENRTE SPACING PROGRAMS (ESP) TO SEQUENCE AND SPACE ACFT ENRTE TO AN ARPT. THIS PROVIDES AN ORDERLY FLOW OF TFC STARTING AT A SPECIFIC POINT, THENCE TO THE ARPT. THE PROB IS THIS: MORE AND MORE ACR PLTS ARE DEMANDING AN EXPLANATION OF THE FREQ AS TO WHY THEY GOT A SPD RESTRICTION, VECTOR OFF ROUTE, THEN NORMAL SPD AND NORMAL NAV BACK ON COURSE. ON THE SURFACE IT SEEMS CAPRICIOUS, BUT WE ARE ONLY TRYING TO WORK THEM INTO THE FLOW. THEY ARE DISRUPTING THE FREQ, WASTING TIME AND CREATING BAD WILL BTWN CTLRS AND PLTS (AS THOUGHT IT ISN'T ALREADY TENSE). PERHAPS AN INCREASE IN PATIENCE AND PROFESSIONALISM WOULD HELP. ALTERNATIVELY, A PHONE CALL OR VISIT TO THE ARTCC, APCH CTL, ETC. MAYBE PUTTING A FACE TOGETHER WITH THE VOICE ON THE RADIO WILL EASE THE TENSION. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.