Narrative:

Our normal procedure departing sba has been (for the past 4 yrs) to start our engine before listening to the ATIS. Since the arsa was implemented, the ATIS does mention to contact clearance delivery before startup--however, during my 15 yrs of flying experience in and out of a wide variety of airports, this has been meant for IFR traffic, due to delays in receiving route clearance, not for VFR. The longest delay we've experienced hasn't been longer than around 10 mins (even on a busy day), and since our tie-down is right next to the runup area, startup before turning on the radios gives the engine a little more time to warm up before takeoff. Also, we request a downwind departure. This generally separates us even further from the normal departures, since they get sent out over the water on runway heading (at low altitude and the reason we request the downwind). Anyway, I believe the downwind departure expedites our departure. On this particular day (sun), what looked like a typical after lunch--good WX--on the weekend--traffic rush, apparently caused the controllers some difficulty in maintaining a good outbnd flow. Before startup, someone on the ramp had a radio on, monitoring ATC. To give you an idea of what was thought of the service by others that afternoon, a departing pilot was heard saying something to the effect of 'you should go to merced (referring to the annual fly-in), and learn how to control traffic!' I witnessed a couple of go around's with no traffic on either the parallels or the crossing runway-- which I think upset the pilot in the aircraft on the right runway, because he made a very tight pattern, flown at or below 500'! As I watched his tight 180 degree turn to final, I hoped that his experience level was up to it--fortunately, it was. (Some pilots fate is worse, as the recent crash of an small aircraft at night may show understood to be the result of a last minute runway change, from base leg from one to the other--90 degrees around the airport to the other runway). This may set up some of the feeling I had as the following scene unfolded (keep in mind--this is not my first ASRS re: safety or procedures at sba): today's ATIS contained something that I (or probably most VFR and non-airline types) had not heard before. 'Gate hold procedure in effect for all aircraft departing sba.' gate hold? That's also (in my 15 yrs experience) for IFR or the airlines (generally the airlines). Engine now running, I call up clearance delivery and am told to call back in 30 mins! Well I have a cold engine so I can't shut down right away, and I certainly can't idle on the ground for 30 mins. The aircraft has an hp engine and no cowl flaps. Heat would be a problem for wait of 30 mins. Yes, based on 'traffic tie-up' (which I maintain was mostly due to poor handling by the training tower), startup before getting the ATIS was a mistake, but based on 4 yrs of experience with sba ATC, why would today be any different? I told the controller that I had a problem because the engine was already running and I couldn't shut down. (I was also planning on taking an oil sample for analysis, and needed a 'clean' sample--no extra carbon or water. I wanted a normal departure to help ensure this. Also, shutting down a clod engine is a no-no--it introduces water into the cylinders, exhaust and oil. We have a very expensive investment to protect, especially since the engine is new; only about 150 hours since factory re-manufacture, worth about $17000). The response that I received was unexpected. She stated in so many words that she didn't care about my engine, and no matter what, I was waiting. This was very upsetting to me, here is someone who is a public servant putting my property in jeopardy and there wasn't a thing I could do about it! I got upset on the air (which I agree is not the place, but it does happen sometimes). I don't remember exactly what was said on both sides, but I ended up saying that I would tie up the frequency trying to resolve the dilemma. What that meant was calling on ground to try getting into the pattern (sometimes works), in an attempt to bypass the arsa temporarily and at least get into the air. What ever was said, transpired over a very few mins with no solution. By now, the engine was heating up and I asked to go to the runup area to at least get some air going over the cylinders (it was more like begging--I think they thought I might take off west/O clearance!). So I waited a few more mins, ran the engine up a little and now that the engine was warmed up (although not properly) I shut down. 15 seconds later I got clearance, after 21 mins on the ground. Looking back, I was so upset that I probably shouldn't have flown. I departed the area, practices my freestyle, and landed at santa ynez airport to cool down for an hour or so. The following day I discussed this situation (hardly an incident) with an investigator with the vny FSDO office. I know her from this november when my wife and I both received our low altitude aerobatic waivers. She was also surprised at the use of the gate hold procedures and understood the reason for my upset. She was also surprised at the involvement of the airport police. I then spent 1 1/2 hours on the phone with the tower manager, and came to some resolution to the situation. I believe that had I received some acknowledgement of my engine problem, such as 'I understand your situation, and I will do what I can to help,' that I would have felt much differently, even if I waited the same length of time. I am among a rather large group of pilots in the area who continually have problems with the sba ATC facility. In previous ASRS's I have addressed safety issues here, and I will be forwarding a version of the body of this ASRS to the western regional ATC center in left.a., the FSDO in van nuys and AOPA. I have a lifetime committment to aviation, and I will not jeopardize my rating by doing anything like what those in the tower were inferring. Thank you for your interest, and hope these situation may occur less frequently in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER COMPLAINS OF POOR TREATMENT BY ATC PERSONNEL AT SBA, OF EXCESSIVE DELAYS DURING WHICH HE COULDN'T SHUT OFF HIS ENGINE PRIOR TO DEP, AND OF HARASSMENT BY SBA ARPT POLICE.

Narrative: OUR NORMAL PROC DEPARTING SBA HAS BEEN (FOR THE PAST 4 YRS) TO START OUR ENG BEFORE LISTENING TO THE ATIS. SINCE THE ARSA WAS IMPLEMENTED, THE ATIS DOES MENTION TO CONTACT CLRNC DELIVERY BEFORE STARTUP--HOWEVER, DURING MY 15 YRS OF FLYING EXPERIENCE IN AND OUT OF A WIDE VARIETY OF ARPTS, THIS HAS BEEN MEANT FOR IFR TFC, DUE TO DELAYS IN RECEIVING RTE CLRNC, NOT FOR VFR. THE LONGEST DELAY WE'VE EXPERIENCED HASN'T BEEN LONGER THAN AROUND 10 MINS (EVEN ON A BUSY DAY), AND SINCE OUR TIE-DOWN IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE RUNUP AREA, STARTUP BEFORE TURNING ON THE RADIOS GIVES THE ENG A LITTLE MORE TIME TO WARM UP BEFORE TKOF. ALSO, WE REQUEST A DOWNWIND DEP. THIS GENERALLY SEPARATES US EVEN FURTHER FROM THE NORMAL DEPS, SINCE THEY GET SENT OUT OVER THE WATER ON RWY HDG (AT LOW ALT AND THE REASON WE REQUEST THE DOWNWIND). ANYWAY, I BELIEVE THE DOWNWIND DEP EXPEDITES OUR DEP. ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY (SUN), WHAT LOOKED LIKE A TYPICAL AFTER LUNCH--GOOD WX--ON THE WEEKEND--TFC RUSH, APPARENTLY CAUSED THE CTLRS SOME DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING A GOOD OUTBND FLOW. BEFORE STARTUP, SOMEONE ON THE RAMP HAD A RADIO ON, MONITORING ATC. TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WAS THOUGHT OF THE SVC BY OTHERS THAT AFTERNOON, A DEPARTING PLT WAS HEARD SAYING SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF 'YOU SHOULD GO TO MERCED (REFERRING TO THE ANNUAL FLY-IN), AND LEARN HOW TO CTL TFC!' I WITNESSED A COUPLE OF GAR'S WITH NO TFC ON EITHER THE PARALLELS OR THE XING RWY-- WHICH I THINK UPSET THE PLT IN THE ACFT ON THE RIGHT RWY, BECAUSE HE MADE A VERY TIGHT PATTERN, FLOWN AT OR BELOW 500'! AS I WATCHED HIS TIGHT 180 DEG TURN TO FINAL, I HOPED THAT HIS EXPERIENCE LEVEL WAS UP TO IT--FORTUNATELY, IT WAS. (SOME PLTS FATE IS WORSE, AS THE RECENT CRASH OF AN SMA AT NIGHT MAY show understood TO BE THE RESULT OF A LAST MINUTE RWY CHANGE, FROM BASE LEG FROM ONE TO THE OTHER--90 DEGS AROUND THE ARPT TO THE OTHER RWY). THIS MAY SET UP SOME OF THE FEELING I HAD AS THE FOLLOWING SCENE UNFOLDED (KEEP IN MIND--THIS IS NOT MY FIRST ASRS RE: SAFETY OR PROCS AT SBA): TODAY'S ATIS CONTAINED SOMETHING THAT I (OR PROBABLY MOST VFR AND NON-AIRLINE TYPES) HAD NOT HEARD BEFORE. 'GATE HOLD PROC IN EFFECT FOR ALL ACFT DEPARTING SBA.' GATE HOLD? THAT'S ALSO (IN MY 15 YRS EXPERIENCE) FOR IFR OR THE AIRLINES (GENERALLY THE AIRLINES). ENG NOW RUNNING, I CALL UP CLRNC DELIVERY AND AM TOLD TO CALL BACK IN 30 MINS! WELL I HAVE A COLD ENG SO I CAN'T SHUT DOWN RIGHT AWAY, AND I CERTAINLY CAN'T IDLE ON THE GND FOR 30 MINS. THE ACFT HAS AN HP ENG AND NO COWL FLAPS. HEAT WOULD BE A PROB FOR WAIT OF 30 MINS. YES, BASED ON 'TFC TIE-UP' (WHICH I MAINTAIN WAS MOSTLY DUE TO POOR HANDLING BY THE TRNING TWR), STARTUP BEFORE GETTING THE ATIS WAS A MISTAKE, BUT BASED ON 4 YRS OF EXPERIENCE WITH SBA ATC, WHY WOULD TODAY BE ANY DIFFERENT? I TOLD THE CTLR THAT I HAD A PROB BECAUSE THE ENG WAS ALREADY RUNNING AND I COULDN'T SHUT DOWN. (I WAS ALSO PLANNING ON TAKING AN OIL SAMPLE FOR ANALYSIS, AND NEEDED A 'CLEAN' SAMPLE--NO EXTRA CARBON OR WATER. I WANTED A NORMAL DEP TO HELP ENSURE THIS. ALSO, SHUTTING DOWN A CLOD ENG IS A NO-NO--IT INTRODUCES WATER INTO THE CYLINDERS, EXHAUST AND OIL. WE HAVE A VERY EXPENSIVE INVESTMENT TO PROTECT, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE ENG IS NEW; ONLY ABOUT 150 HRS SINCE FACTORY RE-MANUFACTURE, WORTH ABOUT $17000). THE RESPONSE THAT I RECEIVED WAS UNEXPECTED. SHE STATED IN SO MANY WORDS THAT SHE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT MY ENG, AND NO MATTER WHAT, I WAS WAITING. THIS WAS VERY UPSETTING TO ME, HERE IS SOMEONE WHO IS A PUBLIC SERVANT PUTTING MY PROPERTY IN JEOPARDY AND THERE WASN'T A THING I COULD DO ABOUT IT! I GOT UPSET ON THE AIR (WHICH I AGREE IS NOT THE PLACE, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN SOMETIMES). I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT WAS SAID ON BOTH SIDES, BUT I ENDED UP SAYING THAT I WOULD TIE UP THE FREQ TRYING TO RESOLVE THE DILEMMA. WHAT THAT MEANT WAS CALLING ON GND TO TRY GETTING INTO THE PATTERN (SOMETIMES WORKS), IN AN ATTEMPT TO BYPASS THE ARSA TEMPORARILY AND AT LEAST GET INTO THE AIR. WHAT EVER WAS SAID, TRANSPIRED OVER A VERY FEW MINS WITH NO SOLUTION. BY NOW, THE ENG WAS HEATING UP AND I ASKED TO GO TO THE RUNUP AREA TO AT LEAST GET SOME AIR GOING OVER THE CYLINDERS (IT WAS MORE LIKE BEGGING--I THINK THEY THOUGHT I MIGHT TAKE OFF W/O CLRNC!). SO I WAITED A FEW MORE MINS, RAN THE ENG UP A LITTLE AND NOW THAT THE ENG WAS WARMED UP (ALTHOUGH NOT PROPERLY) I SHUT DOWN. 15 SECS LATER I GOT CLRNC, AFTER 21 MINS ON THE GND. LOOKING BACK, I WAS SO UPSET THAT I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE FLOWN. I DEPARTED THE AREA, PRACTICES MY FREESTYLE, AND LANDED AT SANTA YNEZ ARPT TO COOL DOWN FOR AN HR OR SO. THE FOLLOWING DAY I DISCUSSED THIS SITUATION (HARDLY AN INCIDENT) WITH AN INVESTIGATOR WITH THE VNY FSDO OFFICE. I KNOW HER FROM THIS NOVEMBER WHEN MY WIFE AND I BOTH RECEIVED OUR LOW ALT AEROBATIC WAIVERS. SHE WAS ALSO SURPRISED AT THE USE OF THE GATE HOLD PROCS AND UNDERSTOOD THE REASON FOR MY UPSET. SHE WAS ALSO SURPRISED AT THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE ARPT POLICE. I THEN SPENT 1 1/2 HRS ON THE PHONE WITH THE TWR MGR, AND CAME TO SOME RESOLUTION TO THE SITUATION. I BELIEVE THAT HAD I RECEIVED SOME ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF MY ENG PROB, SUCH AS 'I UNDERSTAND YOUR SITUATION, AND I WILL DO WHAT I CAN TO HELP,' THAT I WOULD HAVE FELT MUCH DIFFERENTLY, EVEN IF I WAITED THE SAME LENGTH OF TIME. I AM AMONG A RATHER LARGE GROUP OF PLTS IN THE AREA WHO CONTINUALLY HAVE PROBS WITH THE SBA ATC FAC. IN PREVIOUS ASRS'S I HAVE ADDRESSED SAFETY ISSUES HERE, AND I WILL BE FORWARDING A VERSION OF THE BODY OF THIS ASRS TO THE WESTERN REGIONAL ATC CENTER IN L.A., THE FSDO IN VAN NUYS AND AOPA. I HAVE A LIFETIME COMMITTMENT TO AVIATION, AND I WILL NOT JEOPARDIZE MY RATING BY DOING ANYTHING LIKE WHAT THOSE IN THE TWR WERE INFERRING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST, AND HOPE THESE SITUATION MAY OCCUR LESS FREQUENTLY IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.