Narrative:

Clearance out of sdf was runway heading with a climb to 5000 ft. Departure control told us to turn left (approximately 270 degrees) and climb to 5000 ft. She then said we had VFR traffic at 12 O'clock, 3 mi reporting 5300 ft. I questioned her decision of turning us into VFR traffic with 300 ft of altitude separation. At that point, TCASII alerted 'traffic, traffic.' almost immediately, it converted to an RA commanding an immediate descent. We leveled at 4000 ft and the RA cleared. We were saved by TCASII. Upon arrival at atl, I called sdf departure and spoke with the shift supervisor. We discussed the incident and while this was a 'legal' turn, it was not safe or smart. An interesting comment was made by the sdf departure controller. After the RA cleared, I commented that I don't appreciate a turn into VFR traffic that they didn't have communication with -- with only 300 ft of altitude separation. She curtly responded, 'my only responsibility is to call VFR traffic out to you.' in my opinion, this is a complete loss of the real reason ATC exists, and that reason is safety. This controller was so focused on 'legal' compliance that she almost made a fatal decision. Supplemental information from acn 290322: at this time we were approaching 4800 ft. Also, at this time our TCASII gave us a TA followed immediately by an RA commanding a 6000 FPM descent rate. We made an immediate descent to 4000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OBJECTS TO BEING ASSIGNED A HDG AND ALT WITHIN 300 FT OF KNOWN VFR ACFT AND GETS TCASII RA.

Narrative: CLRNC OUT OF SDF WAS RWY HDG WITH A CLB TO 5000 FT. DEP CTL TOLD US TO TURN L (APPROX 270 DEGS) AND CLB TO 5000 FT. SHE THEN SAID WE HAD VFR TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, 3 MI RPTING 5300 FT. I QUESTIONED HER DECISION OF TURNING US INTO VFR TFC WITH 300 FT OF ALT SEPARATION. AT THAT POINT, TCASII ALERTED 'TFC, TFC.' ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, IT CONVERTED TO AN RA COMMANDING AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT. WE LEVELED AT 4000 FT AND THE RA CLRED. WE WERE SAVED BY TCASII. UPON ARR AT ATL, I CALLED SDF DEP AND SPOKE WITH THE SHIFT SUPVR. WE DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT AND WHILE THIS WAS A 'LEGAL' TURN, IT WAS NOT SAFE OR SMART. AN INTERESTING COMMENT WAS MADE BY THE SDF DEP CTLR. AFTER THE RA CLRED, I COMMENTED THAT I DON'T APPRECIATE A TURN INTO VFR TFC THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE COM WITH -- WITH ONLY 300 FT OF ALT SEPARATION. SHE CURTLY RESPONDED, 'MY ONLY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO CALL VFR TFC OUT TO YOU.' IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A COMPLETE LOSS OF THE REAL REASON ATC EXISTS, AND THAT REASON IS SAFETY. THIS CTLR WAS SO FOCUSED ON 'LEGAL' COMPLIANCE THAT SHE ALMOST MADE A FATAL DECISION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 290322: AT THIS TIME WE WERE APCHING 4800 FT. ALSO, AT THIS TIME OUR TCASII GAVE US A TA FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY AN RA COMMANDING A 6000 FPM DSCNT RATE. WE MADE AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO 4000 FT.

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.