Pilot reporter complains about the lack of ATC radio reception at compulsory reporting point over th...

Attributes
ACN	180301
Time
Date	199105
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gls
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute airway : a766
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 : 20900 flight time type : 825
ASRS Report	180301
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

When going from iah-cun you travel down A766; same thing coming back. Houston center was a compulsory reporting point at nuley but communications at nuley is lacking and it is impossible to talk directly at nuley. So you either have to relay your report by another aircraft or go through commercial radio who has an antenna on some oil rig out in the gulf. Many pilots have been receiving violations for something they have no control over. ATC is essentially using violations in order to get the FAA to improve communications in the gulf, pilots pay the price! Also A766 is for the most part, between barow and nuley, a dead-reckoning route unless you're equipped with omega or INS. Since all I have is ADF, it's just like lindbergh used to do it. Except that 'lindy' didn't have to deal with ATC. If I end up off course by more than 20 mi, which is easy to do after an hour of dead-reckoning, you get another violation. I wasn't that far off, but it's just another possibility you can easily end up with. In the gulf of mexico, you operate in 1927 time warp. Technology takes a giant step backwards.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT REPORTER COMPLAINS ABOUT THE LACK OF ATC RADIO RECEPTION AT COMPULSORY REPORTING POINT OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO.

Narrative: WHEN GOING FROM IAH-CUN YOU TRAVEL DOWN A766; SAME THING COMING BACK. HOUSTON CTR WAS A COMPULSORY RPTING POINT AT NULEY BUT COMS AT NULEY IS LACKING AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TALK DIRECTLY AT NULEY. SO YOU EITHER HAVE TO RELAY YOUR RPT BY ANOTHER ACFT OR GO THROUGH COMMERCIAL RADIO WHO HAS AN ANTENNA ON SOME OIL RIG OUT IN THE GULF. MANY PLTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVING VIOLATIONS FOR SOMETHING THEY HAVE NO CTL OVER. ATC IS ESSENTIALLY USING VIOLATIONS IN ORDER TO GET THE FAA TO IMPROVE COMS IN THE GULF, PLTS PAY THE PRICE! ALSO A766 IS FOR THE MOST PART, BTWN BAROW AND NULEY, A DEAD-RECKONING RTE UNLESS YOU'RE EQUIPPED WITH OMEGA OR INS. SINCE ALL I HAVE IS ADF, IT'S JUST LIKE LINDBERGH USED TO DO IT. EXCEPT THAT 'LINDY' DIDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH ATC. IF I END UP OFF COURSE BY MORE THAN 20 MI, WHICH IS EASY TO DO AFTER AN HR OF DEAD-RECKONING, YOU GET ANOTHER VIOLATION. I WASN'T THAT FAR OFF, BUT IT'S JUST ANOTHER POSSIBILITY YOU CAN EASILY END UP WITH. IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, YOU OPERATE IN 1927 TIME WARP. TECHNOLOGY TAKES A GIANT STEP BACKWARDS.

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.

Pilot reporter complains about the lack of ATC radio reception at compulsory reporting point over the gulf of mexico.