Narrative:

Checked in with ZAB. Was climbing out of phx and cleared to FL290. First officer's right side cockpit window began arcing. Turned off heat to that window per our manual. About 1 min later window cracked. First officer was climbing through about 28500'. He leveled off at about 28800'. I asked for lower, stating that we had a cracked window. First officer began a gradual descent while I called ZAB at least 3, possibly 4, times. I could hear the controller talking to other pilots, one of which I heard and others I didn't. Apparently ZAB was working 1 or more frequencys. I was about to squawk 7700 to clear airspace below us when controller asked me to repeat myself. I did. He immediately cleared us to FL240 and then 17000'. I requested a turn back to phx and got it. Once I gained the attention of this controller he was quick to respond to my requests. I (we) never expected it to take so long to get a clearance to descend, which is why first officer initiated descent west/O permission. He was at about 28300', descending at 500 FPM, when we got the clearance to FL240. This was a potentially dangerous situation. We lost precious seconds worrying about an explosive decompression waiting for clearance to descent. Next time I need a controller's attention and don't receive it, I will squawk 7700. The last 5-8 yrs have seen a dramatic increase (from a pilot's point of view) in controllers who are too busy to talk to you because they're either on another frequency or on a landline. This trend needs to have a reversal!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING CLIMB FLT EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF FO SLIDING WINDOW PANE. FLT EXPERIENCED SOME DIFFICULTY IN RECEIVING DESCENT CLRNC FROM ATC.

Narrative: CHKED IN WITH ZAB. WAS CLBING OUT OF PHX AND CLRED TO FL290. F/O'S RIGHT SIDE COCKPIT WINDOW BEGAN ARCING. TURNED OFF HEAT TO THAT WINDOW PER OUR MANUAL. ABOUT 1 MIN LATER WINDOW CRACKED. F/O WAS CLBING THROUGH ABOUT 28500'. HE LEVELED OFF AT ABOUT 28800'. I ASKED FOR LOWER, STATING THAT WE HAD A CRACKED WINDOW. F/O BEGAN A GRADUAL DSCNT WHILE I CALLED ZAB AT LEAST 3, POSSIBLY 4, TIMES. I COULD HEAR THE CTLR TALKING TO OTHER PLTS, ONE OF WHICH I HEARD AND OTHERS I DIDN'T. APPARENTLY ZAB WAS WORKING 1 OR MORE FREQS. I WAS ABOUT TO SQUAWK 7700 TO CLR AIRSPACE BELOW US WHEN CTLR ASKED ME TO REPEAT MYSELF. I DID. HE IMMEDIATELY CLRED US TO FL240 AND THEN 17000'. I REQUESTED A TURN BACK TO PHX AND GOT IT. ONCE I GAINED THE ATTN OF THIS CTLR HE WAS QUICK TO RESPOND TO MY REQUESTS. I (WE) NEVER EXPECTED IT TO TAKE SO LONG TO GET A CLRNC TO DSND, WHICH IS WHY F/O INITIATED DSCNT W/O PERMISSION. HE WAS AT ABOUT 28300', DSNDING AT 500 FPM, WHEN WE GOT THE CLRNC TO FL240. THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. WE LOST PRECIOUS SECONDS WORRYING ABOUT AN EXPLOSIVE DECOMPRESSION WAITING FOR CLRNC TO DSCNT. NEXT TIME I NEED A CTLR'S ATTN AND DON'T RECEIVE IT, I WILL SQUAWK 7700. THE LAST 5-8 YRS HAVE SEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE (FROM A PLT'S POINT OF VIEW) IN CTLRS WHO ARE TOO BUSY TO TALK TO YOU BECAUSE THEY'RE EITHER ON ANOTHER FREQ OR ON A LANDLINE. THIS TREND NEEDS TO HAVE A REVERSAL!

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.