A80 controller reported an example of why they feel new optimization of airspace and procedures metr...

Narrative:

I was working the arrival left position on the new optimization of airspace and procedures metroplex (oapm) optimum profile descent (opd) procedures. Our northeast base leg dual feed was steady. Traffic management unit had me getting one of the pechy arrivals (aircraft Y) between two winng arrivals that were 10 miles in trail (aircraft X and aircraft Z). I had to reduce the speed of aircraft Y to 210 knots to get in-trail of aircraft X; but when aircraft Y turned southeast the 210 knots was 40 knots faster than the 250 knots of aircraft X. This required me to turn aircraft Y to a 100 heading to go behind aircraft X. Once I had 3 miles separation I turned back to the next fix on the arrival and told aircraft Y to descend via. The vectoring of aircraft Y required me to slow and vector aircraft Z. I turned aircraft Z to a 160 heading and slowed to 210 knots. Once I had three miles separation; I let aircraft Z resume the arrival.I think the opd arrivals as designed from the northeast are unworkable under normal atl traffic conditions. I believe the aircraft should be assigned hard altitudes at the 40 DME fix. Not having hard altitudes makes putting aircraft in-trail unsafe.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A80 Controller reported an example of why they feel new Optimization of Airspace and Procedures Metroplex (OAPM) Optimum Profile Descent (OPD) procedures are inefficient and unsafe.

Narrative: I was working the Arrival L position on the new Optimization of Airspace and Procedures Metroplex (OAPM) Optimum Profile Descent (OPD) procedures. Our northeast base leg dual feed was steady. Traffic Management Unit had me getting one of the PECHY arrivals (Aircraft Y) between two WINNG arrivals that were 10 Miles in trail (Aircraft X and Aircraft Z). I had to reduce the speed of Aircraft Y to 210 knots to get in-trail of Aircraft X; but when aircraft Y turned southeast the 210 knots was 40 knots faster than the 250 knots of Aircraft X. This required me to turn Aircraft Y to a 100 heading to go behind Aircraft X. Once I had 3 miles separation I turned back to the next fix on the arrival and told Aircraft Y to descend via. The vectoring of Aircraft Y required me to slow and vector Aircraft Z. I turned Aircraft Z to a 160 heading and slowed to 210 knots. Once I had three miles separation; I let Aircraft Z resume the arrival.I think the OPD arrivals as designed from the northeast are unworkable under normal ATL traffic conditions. I believe the aircraft should be assigned hard altitudes at the 40 DME fix. Not having hard altitudes makes putting aircraft in-trail unsafe.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Attributes
ACN	1402889
Time
Date	201611
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ATL.Airport
State Reference	GA
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Descent Initial Approach
Route In Use	STAR WINNG1
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Large Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	Vectors STAR PECHY1
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Approach
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 4
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

A80 controller reported an example of why they feel new optimization of airspace and procedures metroplex (oapm) optimum profile descent (opd) procedures are inefficient and unsafe.