Air carrier captain concern for safety due to rapid fire clrncs and frequency congestion in center.

Attributes
ACN	163299
Time
Date	199011
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	163299
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Arriving in the air traffic area area for arrival at the atl it became obvious that ZTL was completely overloaded in their efforts to meter traffic into atl. ZTL was issuing instructions so fast and steadily that it was very difficult to get a word in edgewise to confirm or verify instructions. ZTL had aircraft going everywhere and there was major doubt in my mind that they had the situation under control. It appeared very hazardous to me and my first officer. We were given vectors and altitude changes that seemed to be on the verge of emergency measures by ATC, and we were given several of these types of instructions. It is my opinion that these types of situations border on being unsafe, and they occur very often at various airports throughout the country.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAPT CONCERN FOR SAFETY DUE TO RAPID FIRE CLRNCS AND FREQ CONGESTION IN CENTER.

Narrative: ARRIVING IN THE ATA AREA FOR ARR AT THE ATL IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT ZTL WAS COMPLETELY OVERLOADED IN THEIR EFFORTS TO METER TFC INTO ATL. ZTL WAS ISSUING INSTRUCTIONS SO FAST AND STEADILY THAT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET A WORD IN EDGEWISE TO CONFIRM OR VERIFY INSTRUCTIONS. ZTL HAD ACFT GOING EVERYWHERE AND THERE WAS MAJOR DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THEY HAD THE SITUATION UNDER CTL. IT APPEARED VERY HAZARDOUS TO ME AND MY F/O. WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS AND ALT CHANGES THAT SEEMED TO BE ON THE VERGE OF EMER MEASURES BY ATC, AND WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL OF THESE TYPES OF INSTRUCTIONS. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS BORDER ON BEING UNSAFE, AND THEY OCCUR VERY OFTEN AT VARIOUS ARPTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

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.