Narrative:

Working local control position sfo. Cleared B757 for takeoff, then instructed air carrier X to taxi into position and hold runway 1 right, pilot acknowledged. Arrival traffic allowing, normally space B737 4 NM (radar) behind B757, but didn't clear air carrier X when required separation first existed due to higher priority (gear problem aircraft) transmission. Cleared air carrier X for takeoff so that 6 NM (plus 1 ft 50 inches) and 1 min and 50 seconds. Would have existed if pilot departed. Pilot stated 'we're not ready yet,' so per SOP with lineup behind, instructed pilot to cross runway and hold and advise ready. Pilot did not comply. I again told pilot to cross/clear runway when pilot said (with obvious attitude) 'this is the captain, we need at least 2 mins behind B757's,' after which I again told the pilot to clear the runway, which he finally did, finally allowing traffic behind him to depart. Pilot wasted 10 mins of his own time, in addition to 5 min of each of the aircraft behind him because he: 1) failed to notify ATC in a timely manner (basic aim material) that they required extraordinary wake turbulence separation. 2) failed to promptly comply with an ATC instruction (exit runway). 3) became argumentative on frequency because his flight wasn't allowed to absorb the lengthy/additional separation in takeoff position. Pilots who act in such a manner can interrupt the orderly/safe flow of air traffic and should be held responsible for unprofessional behavior. Controllers fully understand pilot's occasional desire for additional separation, but it is important to make these needs known as soon as possible so that the controller may plan accordingly. Pilots must be aware that in requesting additional separation, that they may be resequenced so that the overall flow of traffic is not overly impeded because of a special request. Above all, pilots should never fail to comply promptly simply because they want to be 'first,' (or don't agree with the sequence).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DELAYED COMPLIANCE WITH ATC INSTRUCTION.

Narrative: WORKING LCL CTL POS SFO. CLRED B757 FOR TKOF, THEN INSTRUCTED ACR X TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 1 R, PLT ACKNOWLEDGED. ARR TFC ALLOWING, NORMALLY SPACE B737 4 NM (RADAR) BEHIND B757, BUT DIDN'T CLR ACR X WHEN REQUIRED SEPARATION FIRST EXISTED DUE TO HIGHER PRIORITY (GEAR PROB ACFT) XMISSION. CLRED ACR X FOR TKOF SO THAT 6 NM (PLUS 1 FT 50 INCHES) AND 1 MIN AND 50 SECONDS. WOULD HAVE EXISTED IF PLT DEPARTED. PLT STATED 'WE'RE NOT READY YET,' SO PER SOP WITH LINEUP BEHIND, INSTRUCTED PLT TO CROSS RWY AND HOLD AND ADVISE READY. PLT DID NOT COMPLY. I AGAIN TOLD PLT TO CROSS/CLR RWY WHEN PLT SAID (WITH OBVIOUS ATTITUDE) 'THIS IS THE CAPT, WE NEED AT LEAST 2 MINS BEHIND B757'S,' AFTER WHICH I AGAIN TOLD THE PLT TO CLR THE RWY, WHICH HE FINALLY DID, FINALLY ALLOWING TFC BEHIND HIM TO DEPART. PLT WASTED 10 MINS OF HIS OWN TIME, IN ADDITION TO 5 MIN OF EACH OF THE ACFT BEHIND HIM BECAUSE HE: 1) FAILED TO NOTIFY ATC IN A TIMELY MANNER (BASIC AIM MATERIAL) THAT THEY REQUIRED EXTRAORDINARY WAKE TURB SEPARATION. 2) FAILED TO PROMPTLY COMPLY WITH AN ATC INSTRUCTION (EXIT RWY). 3) BECAME ARGUMENTATIVE ON FREQ BECAUSE HIS FLT WASN'T ALLOWED TO ABSORB THE LENGTHY/ADDITIONAL SEPARATION IN TKOF POS. PLTS WHO ACT IN SUCH A MANNER CAN INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY/SAFE FLOW OF AIR TFC AND SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR. CTLRS FULLY UNDERSTAND PLT'S OCCASIONAL DESIRE FOR ADDITIONAL SEPARATION, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE THESE NEEDS KNOWN ASAP SO THAT THE CTLR MAY PLAN ACCORDINGLY. PLTS MUST BE AWARE THAT IN REQUESTING ADDITIONAL SEPARATION, THAT THEY MAY BE RESEQUENCED SO THAT THE OVERALL FLOW OF TFC IS NOT OVERLY IMPEDED BECAUSE OF A SPECIAL REQUEST. ABOVE ALL, PLTS SHOULD NEVER FAIL TO COMPLY PROMPTLY SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE 'FIRST,' (OR DON'T AGREE WITH THE SEQUENCE).

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.