Narrative:

When atl is using the west runways for arrival, turboprop aircraft generally receive a vector off the sinca 9 arrival (or remain on the arrival for spacing when required) and are handed over to macon approach at 11000 MSL. Macon then clears us to 10000 MSL followed by a descent to cross 40 southeast of atl at 8000 ft. This puts us below the TCA which has a floor of 10000 MSL from 35-42 DME between the 118 degree and 138 degree radial from atl. The sinca 9 arrival uses the 129 degree radial (V179-323). At 35 DME the floor drops to 8000 MSL. In this 7 NM area, what do we do? While the atl controllers from atl TRACON have told us at numerous pilot-controller meetings that 'they' prefer us to maintain 'normal speed' on the arrival to facilitate their carefully orchestrated spacing of arriving aircraft, this puts us in the situation of either slowing to 200 KIAS (and screwing up ATC's plans) or violating far 91.1176). My reading of this far is that even ATC cannot require a speed greater than 200 KIAS below the floor of a TCA -- both paragraph (a) and (B) begin with the caveat 'unless otherwise authorized by the administrator.' paragraph (C) does not! The problem of course, is that I fly the light transport for air carrier company, and our normal speed is 240 KIAS! Rumor control has it that someone was recently violated for conforming to the unofficial 'policy' of maintaining normal speed (or assigned speed) throughout the arrival -- not me! I'm taking a 40 KIAS speed reduction under the TCA! The solution is to either 1) change the agreement between atl center, atl approach and macon approach to keep us high and inside the TCA or 2) lower the TCA to 8000 ft on the arrival. By the way, the same problem occurs on the la grange arrival when we are handed off to columbus approach and atl is using east arrs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR ASSIGNS SPD ABOVE 200 KTS BELOW THE FLOOR OF ATL TCA. FAR 91 PT 117 VIOLATION.

Narrative: WHEN ATL IS USING THE W RWYS FOR ARR, TURBOPROP ACFT GENERALLY RECEIVE A VECTOR OFF THE SINCA 9 ARR (OR REMAIN ON THE ARR FOR SPACING WHEN REQUIRED) AND ARE HANDED OVER TO MACON APCH AT 11000 MSL. MACON THEN CLRS US TO 10000 MSL FOLLOWED BY A DSCNT TO CROSS 40 SE OF ATL AT 8000 FT. THIS PUTS US BELOW THE TCA WHICH HAS A FLOOR OF 10000 MSL FROM 35-42 DME BTWN THE 118 DEG AND 138 DEG RADIAL FROM ATL. THE SINCA 9 ARR USES THE 129 DEG RADIAL (V179-323). AT 35 DME THE FLOOR DROPS TO 8000 MSL. IN THIS 7 NM AREA, WHAT DO WE DO? WHILE THE ATL CTLRS FROM ATL TRACON HAVE TOLD US AT NUMEROUS PLT-CTLR MEETINGS THAT 'THEY' PREFER US TO MAINTAIN 'NORMAL SPD' ON THE ARR TO FACILITATE THEIR CAREFULLY ORCHESTRATED SPACING OF ARRIVING ACFT, THIS PUTS US IN THE SITUATION OF EITHER SLOWING TO 200 KIAS (AND SCREWING UP ATC'S PLANS) OR VIOLATING FAR 91.1176). MY READING OF THIS FAR IS THAT EVEN ATC CANNOT REQUIRE A SPD GREATER THAN 200 KIAS BELOW THE FLOOR OF A TCA -- BOTH PARAGRAPH (A) AND (B) BEGIN WITH THE CAVEAT 'UNLESS OTHERWISE AUTHORIZED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR.' PARAGRAPH (C) DOES NOT! THE PROBLEM OF COURSE, IS THAT I FLY THE LTT FOR ACR COMPANY, AND OUR NORMAL SPD IS 240 KIAS! RUMOR CTL HAS IT THAT SOMEONE WAS RECENTLY VIOLATED FOR CONFORMING TO THE UNOFFICIAL 'POLICY' OF MAINTAINING NORMAL SPD (OR ASSIGNED SPD) THROUGHOUT THE ARR -- NOT ME! I'M TAKING A 40 KIAS SPD REDUCTION UNDER THE TCA! THE SOLUTION IS TO EITHER 1) CHANGE THE AGREEMENT BTWN ATL CTR, ATL APCH AND MACON APCH TO KEEP US HIGH AND INSIDE THE TCA OR 2) LOWER THE TCA TO 8000 FT ON THE ARR. BY THE WAY, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURS ON THE LA GRANGE ARR WHEN WE ARE HANDED OFF TO COLUMBUS APCH AND ATL IS USING E ARRS.

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.