Narrative:

2 reports in 2 days--jeez! We were cleared to 'cross holey at or above 11000 rbv at 8000, 250 KTS (of course).' of course ATC gives you no room to do this so we came barrelling down from FL190, cross holey at 11000 ft at 21 DME. Controller calls us at 17 DME from rbv and says we didn't cross holey at 11000 ft. I was at 10400 ft and slowing when he called, so I didn't have a very high descent rate. First officer said, 'we're sorry.' I thought I had done something wrong until I looked at the DME (which said 17). I said to the first officer, 'sorry bull !' I called ATC back and informed them that we had in fact crossed 21 DME at 11000 ft. Controller came back and said no we were passed holey when we went below 11000 ft but it was 'no big deal, it's just that the airspace belongs to phl.' I advised him that my DME indicated holey at 11000 ft. He said ok and handed me off. The moral to this story is: the ATC folk are getting a little carried away with these 'fences.' I've had them thrown at me on final!! It seems to be a quick easy way of getting the monkey off their back and onto mine! Further, the very idea of crossing holey at 11000 ft and getting the unexpected clearance of broadway at 8000 ft, slowing at 10000 ft to cross at 8000 ft in 20 mi amounts to something of an air show! Enough is enough!

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IRATE REPORTER GIVES ARTCC RADAR CTLR HIS OPINION OF THE CTLR'S ATC TECHNIQUE IN A DESCENT CROSSING CLRNC. FELT THAT THE TIMING WAS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE AS FAR AS SLOWING UP AND GOING DOWN IN A 17 MILE STRETCH.

Narrative: 2 RPTS IN 2 DAYS--JEEZ! WE WERE CLRED TO 'CROSS HOLEY AT OR ABOVE 11000 RBV AT 8000, 250 KTS (OF COURSE).' OF COURSE ATC GIVES YOU NO ROOM TO DO THIS SO WE CAME BARRELLING DOWN FROM FL190, CROSS HOLEY AT 11000 FT AT 21 DME. CTLR CALLS US AT 17 DME FROM RBV AND SAYS WE DIDN'T CROSS HOLEY AT 11000 FT. I WAS AT 10400 FT AND SLOWING WHEN HE CALLED, SO I DIDN'T HAVE A VERY HIGH DSNT RATE. F/O SAID, 'WE'RE SORRY.' I THOUGHT I HAD DONE SOMETHING WRONG UNTIL I LOOKED AT THE DME (WHICH SAID 17). I SAID TO THE F/O, 'SORRY BULL !' I CALLED ATC BACK AND INFORMED THEM THAT WE HAD IN FACT CROSSED 21 DME AT 11000 FT. CTLR CAME BACK AND SAID NO WE WERE PASSED HOLEY WHEN WE WENT BELOW 11000 FT BUT IT WAS 'NO BIG DEAL, IT'S JUST THAT THE AIRSPACE BELONGS TO PHL.' I ADVISED HIM THAT MY DME INDICATED HOLEY AT 11000 FT. HE SAID OK AND HANDED ME OFF. THE MORAL TO THIS STORY IS: THE ATC FOLK ARE GETTING A LITTLE CARRIED AWAY WITH THESE 'FENCES.' I'VE HAD THEM THROWN AT ME ON FINAL!! IT SEEMS TO BE A QUICK EASY WAY OF GETTING THE MONKEY OFF THEIR BACK AND ONTO MINE! FURTHER, THE VERY IDEA OF XING HOLEY AT 11000 FT AND GETTING THE UNEXPECTED CLRNC OF BROADWAY AT 8000 FT, SLOWING AT 10000 FT TO CROSS AT 8000 FT IN 20 MI AMOUNTS TO SOMETHING OF AN AIR SHOW! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

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.