Narrative:

I taxied to the active runway 32 for a VFR departure and observed two aircraft ahead of me, an small transport and an small aircraft. Apparently the small aircraft was ready and the small transport had to taxi on to the active to let the small aircraft pass, then came back on to the taxiway. Then the small transport was ready and tower cleared him for takeoff. After he started rolling the tower cleared me into position and hold. Upon reaching my position and hold, the tower told me that the small transport was turning northeast for a flight to the north. He wanted me to turn left and depart to the southwest then cleared me for takeoff. I acknowledged and made my takeoff. About this time there was some discussion about the WX and the lowering clouds that the first or second aircraft gave to the tower. The tower then asked me if I could takeoff VFR and seemed to indicate the field had gone IFR. He was talking as if I was still on the runway. I tried to acknowledge him but was quickly coming upon the cloud deck and even though I had a clear area to go through, felt it very important to get in touch with jacksonville approach because of my direction of flight and possible conflict with navy aircraft in the area. I established contact with approach and continued on my way with no further problem. I have experienced past problems with this position and hold procedure. I have been left on runways with traffic coming in behind and I have had to remind controllers that I was in position and holding and ready for takeoff and I'm sure some had forgotten that I was there until I reminded them. I feel that this procedure is dangerous and an unsafe practice and should be dropped. If the tower had left me on the taxiway this incident could have been avoided.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLRNC CONFUSION AT JAX.

Narrative: I TAXIED TO THE ACTIVE RWY 32 FOR A VFR DEP AND OBSERVED TWO ACFT AHEAD OF ME, AN SMT AND AN SMA. APPARENTLY THE SMA WAS READY AND THE SMT HAD TO TAXI ON TO THE ACTIVE TO LET THE SMA PASS, THEN CAME BACK ON TO THE TXWY. THEN THE SMT WAS READY AND TWR CLRED HIM FOR TKOF. AFTER HE STARTED ROLLING THE TWR CLRED ME INTO POSITION AND HOLD. UPON REACHING MY POS AND HOLD, THE TWR TOLD ME THAT THE SMT WAS TURNING NE FOR A FLT TO THE N. HE WANTED ME TO TURN L AND DEPART TO THE SW THEN CLRED ME FOR TKOF. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND MADE MY TKOF. ABOUT THIS TIME THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THE WX AND THE LOWERING CLOUDS THAT THE FIRST OR SEC ACFT GAVE TO THE TWR. THE TWR THEN ASKED ME IF I COULD TKOF VFR AND SEEMED TO INDICATE THE FIELD HAD GONE IFR. HE WAS TALKING AS IF I WAS STILL ON THE RWY. I TRIED TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIM BUT WAS QUICKLY COMING UPON THE CLOUD DECK AND EVEN THOUGH I HAD A CLR AREA TO GO THROUGH, FELT IT VERY IMPORTANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH JACKSONVILLE APCH BECAUSE OF MY DIRECTION OF FLT AND POSSIBLE CONFLICT WITH NAVY ACFT IN THE AREA. I ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH APCH AND CONTINUED ON MY WAY WITH NO FURTHER PROB. I HAVE EXPERIENCED PAST PROBS WITH THIS POS AND HOLD PROC. I HAVE BEEN L ON RWYS WITH TFC COMING IN BEHIND AND I HAVE HAD TO REMIND CTLRS THAT I WAS IN POS AND HOLDING AND READY FOR TKOF AND I'M SURE SOME HAD FORGOTTEN THAT I WAS THERE UNTIL I REMINDED THEM. I FEEL THAT THIS PROC IS DANGEROUS AND AN UNSAFE PRACTICE AND SHOULD BE DROPPED. IF THE TWR HAD LEFT ME ON THE TXWY THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

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.