Air carrier X delayed by ATC for IFR traffic.

Attributes
ACN	251836
Time
Date	199308
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : alb
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : alb
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7650 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	251836
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier X came out of farmingdale VFR to albany, ny, where it was VFR (we checked with boston flight watch over pawling). We called up albany and were told to stand by and stay clear of the arsa, holding in a box pattern at 24 NM south (for 5 mins. We got clearance in and proceeded in and was switched to 127.15. The controller assigned a heading of north (360 degrees) which we complied with. He was working a company flight coming in from bos behind us and an air carrier Y flight, also behind us. We were told to slow up to 170 KTS and then 150 KTS, to, I think, get us behind them. That's what happened. We ended up slow, making a box pattern (his words) to follow traffic 2 mi from the airport with runway 28 and runway 2 in sight! The box pattern put us back over a scattered deck with tops around 2300-2400 ft MSL. Air carrier Y went to runway 2 and our company went to runway 28. We reported the field in sight a couple of times and were told to fly the heading. As if we were lying he asked the air carrier Y pilot if he had the field and he answered yes. I know this is a training base for controllers, but to waste my company time and fuel this way is intolerable when the airport is VFR. The vectors over the scattered clouds caused us to lose the airport, we needed a local IFR for a min to pick up the field.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X DELAYED BY ATC FOR IFR TFC.

Narrative: ACR X CAME OUT OF FARMINGDALE VFR TO ALBANY, NY, WHERE IT WAS VFR (WE CHKED WITH BOSTON FLT WATCH OVER PAWLING). WE CALLED UP ALBANY AND WERE TOLD TO STAND BY AND STAY CLR OF THE ARSA, HOLDING IN A BOX PATTERN AT 24 NM S (FOR 5 MINS. WE GOT CLRNC IN AND PROCEEDED IN AND WAS SWITCHED TO 127.15. THE CTLR ASSIGNED A HDG OF N (360 DEGS) WHICH WE COMPLIED WITH. HE WAS WORKING A COMPANY FLT COMING IN FROM BOS BEHIND US AND AN ACR Y FLT, ALSO BEHIND US. WE WERE TOLD TO SLOW UP TO 170 KTS AND THEN 150 KTS, TO, I THINK, GET US BEHIND THEM. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. WE ENDED UP SLOW, MAKING A BOX PATTERN (HIS WORDS) TO FOLLOW TFC 2 MI FROM THE ARPT WITH RWY 28 AND RWY 2 IN SIGHT! THE BOX PATTERN PUT US BACK OVER A SCATTERED DECK WITH TOPS AROUND 2300-2400 FT MSL. ACR Y WENT TO RWY 2 AND OUR COMPANY WENT TO RWY 28. WE RPTED THE FIELD IN SIGHT A COUPLE OF TIMES AND WERE TOLD TO FLY THE HDG. AS IF WE WERE LYING HE ASKED THE ACR Y PLT IF HE HAD THE FIELD AND HE ANSWERED YES. I KNOW THIS IS A TRAINING BASE FOR CTLRS, BUT TO WASTE MY COMPANY TIME AND FUEL THIS WAY IS INTOLERABLE WHEN THE ARPT IS VFR. THE VECTORS OVER THE SCATTERED CLOUDS CAUSED US TO LOSE THE ARPT, WE NEEDED A LCL IFR FOR A MIN TO PICK UP THE FIELD.

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.