Narrative:

As we were being vectored for the visual approach into aby, center leveled us off at 7000. After giving us erroneous heading changes followed by 'disregard', we were told to 'climb to 9000 immediately.! Upon reaching 9000 in a very hasty manner, we were told to descend back down to 7000 and that clearance was not for us. We now confirmed our earlier suspicions that ATC was next to being out of control. Very chaotic and unprofessional, not to say dangerous. If we both hear 'climb to 9000 ft immediately' and there is an aircraft (or 2) above us, we have big problems! I believe the major contributing factor here was the controller working multiple frequencys including UHF. Obviously overloaded, possibly overworked and certainly tired from working 40 hour plus weeks. Obvious to all of us flying in the ATC system, more controllers and experience is needed desperately, and why must we combine sectors so often and overload controllers and frequencys? And speaking of frequencys, perhaps it is time to ask: is it necessary to have both VHF and UHF. The extra cost in man hours and equipment must be weighed against the result of each of us (VHF and UHF) not hearing each other. What exactly are we gaining? Especially knowing of the constant simultaneous transmissions that the controller listens to, and all the resulting confusion. In summary, our passenger and crew members deserve better. We pay a lot in taxes and tickets to not expect a high level of safety and efficiency. We're not getting it. If this were an occasional problem, I would be more tolerant. But the fact is this sort of thing happens all to frequently.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT RPTR EXPRESSES CONCERNS REF INABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH CENTER WHEN CTLR IS XMITTING ON VHF AND UHF AND IS OVERLOADED WITH TFC.

Narrative: AS WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR THE VISUAL APCH INTO ABY, CENTER LEVELED US OFF AT 7000. AFTER GIVING US ERRONEOUS HDG CHANGES FOLLOWED BY 'DISREGARD', WE WERE TOLD TO 'CLB TO 9000 IMMEDIATELY.! UPON REACHING 9000 IN A VERY HASTY MANNER, WE WERE TOLD TO DSND BACK DOWN TO 7000 AND THAT CLRNC WAS NOT FOR US. WE NOW CONFIRMED OUR EARLIER SUSPICIONS THAT ATC WAS NEXT TO BEING OUT OF CTL. VERY CHAOTIC AND UNPROFESSIONAL, NOT TO SAY DANGEROUS. IF WE BOTH HEAR 'CLB TO 9000 FT IMMEDIATELY' AND THERE IS AN ACFT (OR 2) ABOVE US, WE HAVE BIG PROBLEMS! I BELIEVE THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR HERE WAS THE CTLR WORKING MULTIPLE FREQS INCLUDING UHF. OBVIOUSLY OVERLOADED, POSSIBLY OVERWORKED AND CERTAINLY TIRED FROM WORKING 40 HR PLUS WKS. OBVIOUS TO ALL OF US FLYING IN THE ATC SYS, MORE CTLRS AND EXPERIENCE IS NEEDED DESPERATELY, AND WHY MUST WE COMBINE SECTORS SO OFTEN AND OVERLOAD CTLRS AND FREQS? AND SPEAKING OF FREQS, PERHAPS IT IS TIME TO ASK: IS IT NECESSARY TO HAVE BOTH VHF AND UHF. THE EXTRA COST IN MAN HRS AND EQUIP MUST BE WEIGHED AGAINST THE RESULT OF EACH OF US (VHF AND UHF) NOT HEARING EACH OTHER. WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE GAINING? ESPECIALLY KNOWING OF THE CONSTANT SIMULTANEOUS TRANSMISSIONS THAT THE CTLR LISTENS TO, AND ALL THE RESULTING CONFUSION. IN SUMMARY, OUR PAX AND CREW MEMBERS DESERVE BETTER. WE PAY A LOT IN TAXES AND TICKETS TO NOT EXPECT A HIGH LEVEL OF SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY. WE'RE NOT GETTING IT. IF THIS WERE AN OCCASIONAL PROBLEM, I WOULD BE MORE TOLERANT. BUT THE FACT IS THIS SORT OF THING HAPPENS ALL TO FREQUENTLY.

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.