Flight crew reporter not satisfied with ATC handling. ARTCC controller issued s-turns instead of spe...

Attributes
ACN	142496
Time
Date	199004
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sps
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	142496
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Departed las air carrier flight X, xx:05 local to dfw, cruise altitude FL330. About 120 mi northwest of sps-J72 started radar vector several s-turns, then told direct sps. 80 mi northwest of sps, more s-turns. Never told to slow down at this pint (other aircraft s-turning also). 2 air carrier flts, I think air carrier Y and air carrier Z, were the other aircraft. They also reported the radio hard to understand. At 1 point other aircraft reported 3 bye on reception. (I did not have a problem understanding). Once again direct sps and boids 1 arrival. 60 mi northwest sps more s-turns, then direct bpr and boids 1, clear to descend to FL250 from 330, then to FL240. Could see an medium large transport lower and to the left of us. After telling air carrier Y to descend several times and receiving no response, they told us to stop our descent and slow to 250 KTS. We ere about FL246 and we stopped at FL244. Air carrier Y finally responded and was cleared to 7000'. We were later cleared to 10000' normal speed and to expect 9000' at boids, and then over to approach control, then more vectors for approach and landing runway 8R at dfw.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW REPORTER NOT SATISFIED WITH ATC HANDLING. ARTCC CTLR ISSUED S-TURNS INSTEAD OF SPEED CONTROL.

Narrative: DEPARTED LAS ACR FLT X, XX:05 LCL TO DFW, CRUISE ALT FL330. ABOUT 120 MI NW OF SPS-J72 STARTED RADAR VECTOR SEVERAL S-TURNS, THEN TOLD DIRECT SPS. 80 MI NW OF SPS, MORE S-TURNS. NEVER TOLD TO SLOW DOWN AT THIS PINT (OTHER ACFT S-TURNING ALSO). 2 ACR FLTS, I THINK ACR Y AND ACR Z, WERE THE OTHER ACFT. THEY ALSO RPTED THE RADIO HARD TO UNDERSTAND. AT 1 POINT OTHER ACFT RPTED 3 BYE ON RECEPTION. (I DID NOT HAVE A PROB UNDERSTANDING). ONCE AGAIN DIRECT SPS AND BOIDS 1 ARR. 60 MI NW SPS MORE S-TURNS, THEN DIRECT BPR AND BOIDS 1, CLR TO DSND TO FL250 FROM 330, THEN TO FL240. COULD SEE AN MLG LOWER AND TO THE LEFT OF US. AFTER TELLING ACR Y TO DSND SEVERAL TIMES AND RECEIVING NO RESPONSE, THEY TOLD US TO STOP OUR DSNT AND SLOW TO 250 KTS. WE ERE ABOUT FL246 AND WE STOPPED AT FL244. ACR Y FINALLY RESPONDED AND WAS CLRED TO 7000'. WE WERE LATER CLRED TO 10000' NORMAL SPD AND TO EXPECT 9000' AT BOIDS, AND THEN OVER TO APCH CTL, THEN MORE VECTORS FOR APCH AND LNDG RWY 8R AT DFW.

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.

Flight crew reporter not satisfied with ATC handling. ARTCC controller issued s-turns instead of speed control.