Narrative:

On initial contact with memphis approach controller we were told that we should plan to go over the top of the airport for runway 18R. No sooner had we received this when they turn us to a heading of 360 degrees still 10-15 mi prior to the airport. Have to ask controller if runway 18R is still our runway. On this heading we go 18 mi past airport and told to switch controllers. Finally we are cleared to turn left to a 210 degree heading and intercept runway 18R localizer. 30 seconds later we are told to turn to a 250 degree heading, slow to 210 KTS. We have to ask if he wants us to intercept localizer still, no. As we roll out on 250 degree heading, told to turn to 190 degree heading, intercept localizer, slow to 190 KTS. Presently we're at 4000' at G/south intercept. We request lower as we start to go above G/south, no. I observe an medium large transport turning final from the west well below us and he seems rather close. Immediately we start to slow and tell the controller about the medium large transport. The controller, for the first time, acknowledges this plane and states that's why we're at 4000' (8 mi from airport). Request lower and state this approach has been extremely poor. A new voice comes on and asks why it was a poor approach. I request lower and a phone number. He still wants to know why I feel the approach was poor. I tell him we need lower and I'll call on the ground! Finally cleared visibility, I'm south turning and we call tower. He's frantic since we're 2 mi from the medium large transport and closing. He clears me to south turn or land on runway 18L, no traffic behind us. (Wonder why ATC has not done a better spacing job). We make an uneventful landing on runway 18R. I call the TRACON supervisor and he explains training was in progress. My questions to him: why didn't the 'qualified' controller take charge when an obvious unsafe situation was starting to occur. Why did the 'qualified' controller want to tie-up the radios with my comments when I had already said I'd call on the ground. Why did the 'qualified' controller not understand why this was a poor approach. (If he thought that was a normal acceptable approach, he shouldn't be supervising a trnee). I think training is a necessity but there has to be limits on how far one can go. I'm a line check airman so I know both sides of the coin.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POOR ATC SERVICES.

Narrative: ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH MEMPHIS APCH CTLR WE WERE TOLD THAT WE SHOULD PLAN TO GO OVER THE TOP OF THE ARPT FOR RWY 18R. NO SOONER HAD WE RECEIVED THIS WHEN THEY TURN US TO A HDG OF 360 DEGS STILL 10-15 MI PRIOR TO THE ARPT. HAVE TO ASK CTLR IF RWY 18R IS STILL OUR RWY. ON THIS HDG WE GO 18 MI PAST ARPT AND TOLD TO SWITCH CTLRS. FINALLY WE ARE CLRED TO TURN L TO A 210 DEG HDG AND INTERCEPT RWY 18R LOC. 30 SECS LATER WE ARE TOLD TO TURN TO A 250 DEG HDG, SLOW TO 210 KTS. WE HAVE TO ASK IF HE WANTS US TO INTERCEPT LOC STILL, NO. AS WE ROLL OUT ON 250 DEG HDG, TOLD TO TURN TO 190 DEG HDG, INTERCEPT LOC, SLOW TO 190 KTS. PRESENTLY WE'RE AT 4000' AT G/S INTERCEPT. WE REQUEST LOWER AS WE START TO GO ABOVE G/S, NO. I OBSERVE AN MLG TURNING FINAL FROM THE W WELL BELOW US AND HE SEEMS RATHER CLOSE. IMMEDIATELY WE START TO SLOW AND TELL THE CTLR ABOUT THE MLG. THE CTLR, FOR THE FIRST TIME, ACKNOWLEDGES THIS PLANE AND STATES THAT'S WHY WE'RE AT 4000' (8 MI FROM ARPT). REQUEST LOWER AND STATE THIS APCH HAS BEEN EXTREMELY POOR. A NEW VOICE COMES ON AND ASKS WHY IT WAS A POOR APCH. I REQUEST LOWER AND A PHONE NUMBER. HE STILL WANTS TO KNOW WHY I FEEL THE APCH WAS POOR. I TELL HIM WE NEED LOWER AND I'LL CALL ON THE GND! FINALLY CLRED VIS, I'M S TURNING AND WE CALL TWR. HE'S FRANTIC SINCE WE'RE 2 MI FROM THE MLG AND CLOSING. HE CLRS ME TO S TURN OR LAND ON RWY 18L, NO TFC BEHIND US. (WONDER WHY ATC HAS NOT DONE A BETTER SPACING JOB). WE MAKE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG ON RWY 18R. I CALL THE TRACON SUPVR AND HE EXPLAINS TRNING WAS IN PROGRESS. MY QUESTIONS TO HIM: WHY DIDN'T THE 'QUALIFIED' CTLR TAKE CHARGE WHEN AN OBVIOUS UNSAFE SITUATION WAS STARTING TO OCCUR. WHY DID THE 'QUALIFIED' CTLR WANT TO TIE-UP THE RADIOS WITH MY COMMENTS WHEN I HAD ALREADY SAID I'D CALL ON THE GND. WHY DID THE 'QUALIFIED' CTLR NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WAS A POOR APCH. (IF HE THOUGHT THAT WAS A NORMAL ACCEPTABLE APCH, HE SHOULDN'T BE SUPERVISING A TRNEE). I THINK TRNING IS A NECESSITY BUT THERE HAS TO BE LIMITS ON HOW FAR ONE CAN GO. I'M A LINE CHK AIRMAN SO I KNOW BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN.

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.