Narrative:

Reported for duty at XX10 am. Our schedule included 3 round- trips out of pit (cmh, cle, roa). Company advised us that they wanted us to go to azo instead of cle. This would increase our total block by 1 hour 7 mins to a total of 6 hours 57 mins for the day. Due to poor WX and ATC handling, we consistently over blocked. Prior to beginning our last leg (roa-pit), we were at 6 hours 35 mins total. This leg is blocked to 1 hour 10 mins, which made us legal to start. During the trip, however, we were held, given 360 degree turns, slowed, and sent to out of the way vors. We blocked 1 hour 40 mins for the flight, a total of 8 hours 15 mins for the day. This is allowed under far 135.263 (D). I believe the reason for this over block time is as follows: 1) WX. A slow moving cold front had reduced the ceilings and visibility at all our airports. 2) my airline scheduling so many flts to arrive in pit at the same time. This is a constant practice among airlines, and some hubs handle it better than others. 3) pit approach. Even in good WX, approach cannot handle traffic smoothly. I seriously doubt that any of the controllers have read the aim regarding controller responsibilities with regard to speed changes and so forth. We average 12 speed changes when flying into pit, not to mention countless vectors. There must be a better way.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC RPT COMPLAINT ON FLC WORK SCHEDULING AND ATC HANDLING INTO PIT.

Narrative: RPTED FOR DUTY AT XX10 AM. OUR SCHEDULE INCLUDED 3 ROUND- TRIPS OUT OF PIT (CMH, CLE, ROA). COMPANY ADVISED US THAT THEY WANTED US TO GO TO AZO INSTEAD OF CLE. THIS WOULD INCREASE OUR TOTAL BLOCK BY 1 HR 7 MINS TO A TOTAL OF 6 HRS 57 MINS FOR THE DAY. DUE TO POOR WX AND ATC HANDLING, WE CONSISTENTLY OVER BLOCKED. PRIOR TO BEGINNING OUR LAST LEG (ROA-PIT), WE WERE AT 6 HRS 35 MINS TOTAL. THIS LEG IS BLOCKED TO 1 HR 10 MINS, WHICH MADE US LEGAL TO START. DURING THE TRIP, HOWEVER, WE WERE HELD, GIVEN 360 DEG TURNS, SLOWED, AND SENT TO OUT OF THE WAY VORS. WE BLOCKED 1 HR 40 MINS FOR THE FLT, A TOTAL OF 8 HRS 15 MINS FOR THE DAY. THIS IS ALLOWED UNDER FAR 135.263 (D). I BELIEVE THE REASON FOR THIS OVER BLOCK TIME IS AS FOLLOWS: 1) WX. A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT HAD REDUCED THE CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY AT ALL OUR ARPTS. 2) MY AIRLINE SCHEDULING SO MANY FLTS TO ARRIVE IN PIT AT THE SAME TIME. THIS IS A CONSTANT PRACTICE AMONG AIRLINES, AND SOME HUBS HANDLE IT BETTER THAN OTHERS. 3) PIT APCH. EVEN IN GOOD WX, APCH CANNOT HANDLE TFC SMOOTHLY. I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT ANY OF THE CTLRS HAVE READ THE AIM REGARDING CTLR RESPONSIBILITIES WITH REGARD TO SPD CHANGES AND SO FORTH. WE AVERAGE 12 SPD CHANGES WHEN FLYING INTO PIT, NOT TO MENTION COUNTLESS VECTORS. THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY.

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.