Narrative:

We were issued clearance by a person in the developmental stage. It did not contain all subject clearance material. We questioned clearance. When issued takeoff clearance, other traffic, a military helicopter, was making approach to a different runway. Not a factor, but ATC figured it to be. We were cleared into position and immediate takeoff clearance issued. My first officer, although highly experienced, was new with our company and I advised we would not rush. We were issued hold short of runway and we complied. A flight check aircraft, another company aircraft, the military helicopter and a civil aircraft making practice instrument approachs were being controled by the tower. The conversation between flight check and the tower created an untimely and unnecessary delay for our scheduled carrier. Additionally, it was a major distraction. I doubt if the controller had a good picture of the situation and real control of the airspace. If the controller did have control, I am skeptical of the quality. 20 questions instead of real control is an accurate description. After departure, we were handled likewise. I discussed the situation with a company pilot who flies this stop with great frequency. Our episode was nothing to boast about. Also, the ILS runway 2 procedure--lots of nice information--maybe too much for even us experienced pilots. Maybe too--this is why cou tower talks so much and says so little. Distrs are dangerous!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DELAYED ON GND DUE TO ARRIVING TRAFFIC.

Narrative: WE WERE ISSUED CLRNC BY A PERSON IN THE DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE. IT DID NOT CONTAIN ALL SUBJECT CLRNC MATERIAL. WE QUESTIONED CLRNC. WHEN ISSUED TKOF CLRNC, OTHER TFC, A MIL HELI, WAS MAKING APCH TO A DIFFERENT RWY. NOT A FACTOR, BUT ATC FIGURED IT TO BE. WE WERE CLRED INTO POS AND IMMEDIATE TKOF CLRNC ISSUED. MY F/O, ALTHOUGH HIGHLY EXPERIENCED, WAS NEW WITH OUR COMPANY AND I ADVISED WE WOULD NOT RUSH. WE WERE ISSUED HOLD SHORT OF RWY AND WE COMPLIED. A FLT CHK ACFT, ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT, THE MIL HELI AND A CIVIL ACFT MAKING PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APCHS WERE BEING CTLED BY THE TWR. THE CONVERSATION BTWN FLT CHK AND THE TWR CREATED AN UNTIMELY AND UNNECESSARY DELAY FOR OUR SCHEDULED CARRIER. ADDITIONALLY, IT WAS A MAJOR DISTR. I DOUBT IF THE CTLR HAD A GOOD PICTURE OF THE SITUATION AND REAL CTL OF THE AIRSPACE. IF THE CTLR DID HAVE CTL, I AM SKEPTICAL OF THE QUALITY. 20 QUESTIONS INSTEAD OF REAL CTL IS AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION. AFTER DEP, WE WERE HANDLED LIKEWISE. I DISCUSSED THE SITUATION WITH A COMPANY PLT WHO FLIES THIS STOP WITH GREAT FREQ. OUR EPISODE WAS NOTHING TO BOAST ABOUT. ALSO, THE ILS RWY 2 PROC--LOTS OF NICE INFO--MAYBE TOO MUCH FOR EVEN US EXPERIENCED PLTS. MAYBE TOO--THIS IS WHY COU TWR TALKS SO MUCH AND SAYS SO LITTLE. DISTRS ARE DANGEROUS!

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.