Narrative:

Acceptance of a 10 KT tailwind at dtw for runway 21 operations is ill-advised and an intrusion on the captain's right and responsibility to operate the flight in as safe a manner as possible (gen-161-91, attached). A 10 KT tailwind at the airport elevation does not necessarily mean the tailwind is the same at a higher altitude on the approach. In fact, the wind is usually much greater, resulting in marginally stabilized approachs with power settings too close to idle and uncomfortably high sink rates to stay on the glide path. This is hardly in keeping with mandate for a stabilized approach. Last week, on 2 occasions, dtw insisted on using 21 with a 7 KT tailwind and the marginally stabilized approachs described above resulted. Are we trying to be as safe as possible all the time, or only when it's politically feasible? Aircraft are designed to land into the wind when possible. This produces lower ground speeds on T/D, less runway rollout, less wear and tear on tires and brakes and increased margins for stopping on a runway. It's safer. I thought that's what we are all trying to do, fly as safely as possible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAPT'S COMPLAINT ABOUT LNDG WITH A SLIGHT TAILWIND AT DTW TO ACCOMMODATE NOISE SENSITIVE AREA.

Narrative: ACCEPTANCE OF A 10 KT TAILWIND AT DTW FOR RWY 21 OPS IS ILL-ADVISED AND AN INTRUSION ON THE CAPT'S RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY TO OPERATE THE FLT IN AS SAFE A MANNER AS POSSIBLE (GEN-161-91, ATTACHED). A 10 KT TAILWIND AT THE ARPT ELEVATION DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THE TAILWIND IS THE SAME AT A HIGHER ALT ON THE APCH. IN FACT, THE WIND IS USUALLY MUCH GREATER, RESULTING IN MARGINALLY STABILIZED APCHS WITH PWR SETTINGS TOO CLOSE TO IDLE AND UNCOMFORTABLY HIGH SINK RATES TO STAY ON THE GLIDE PATH. THIS IS HARDLY IN KEEPING WITH MANDATE FOR A STABILIZED APCH. LAST WK, ON 2 OCCASIONS, DTW INSISTED ON USING 21 WITH A 7 KT TAILWIND AND THE MARGINALLY STABILIZED APCHS DESCRIBED ABOVE RESULTED. ARE WE TRYING TO BE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE ALL THE TIME, OR ONLY WHEN IT'S POLITICALLY FEASIBLE? ACFT ARE DESIGNED TO LAND INTO THE WIND WHEN POSSIBLE. THIS PRODUCES LOWER GND SPDS ON T/D, LESS RWY ROLLOUT, LESS WEAR AND TEAR ON TIRES AND BRAKES AND INCREASED MARGINS FOR STOPPING ON A RWY. IT'S SAFER. I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ALL TRYING TO DO, FLY AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE.

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.