Narrative:

We were proceeding to ormond beach VOR to begin marlin STAR into fll. ATC cleared us to ovido intersection J45 vero beach marlin STAR. While frantically trying to find an intersection we never heard of I asked for a vector. After reprogramming FMS we were on our way. Next controller on 119.35 or 0.25 immediately slowed to 270 KTS at FL330, then vectored off course several times then given a heading to intercept a radial and rejoin. Told controller we would deselect FMS to fly radios trying to convince her to give us clearance to a point. Were slowed down, descended, sped up, and vectored again before it was over. We had begun waiting for some sanity with a frequency change in between, but the controllers weren't talking to each other and gave opposing instructions. From the TCASII it appeared that there was a separation problem between 2 aircraft in front of us and that every following aircraft was being put through the wringer while they tried to resolve it. Wish I could say it was an isolated incident, however, on the next day we received similar handling only to arrive high, close in, and perpendicular to runway before controller finally cleared us for an approach. We couldn't get in any requests as the controller had near continuous conversation with other aircraft. The sector must be understaffed, inexperienced, or both.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB ON ARR HAS NUMEROUS VECTORS, SPDS AND DSCNT CHANGES.

Narrative: WE WERE PROCEEDING TO ORMOND BEACH VOR TO BEGIN MARLIN STAR INTO FLL. ATC CLRED US TO OVIDO INTXN J45 VERO BEACH MARLIN STAR. WHILE FRANTICALLY TRYING TO FIND AN INTXN WE NEVER HEARD OF I ASKED FOR A VECTOR. AFTER REPROGRAMMING FMS WE WERE ON OUR WAY. NEXT CTLR ON 119.35 OR 0.25 IMMEDIATELY SLOWED TO 270 KTS AT FL330, THEN VECTORED OFF COURSE SEVERAL TIMES THEN GIVEN A HDG TO INTERCEPT A RADIAL AND REJOIN. TOLD CTLR WE WOULD DESELECT FMS TO FLY RADIOS TRYING TO CONVINCE HER TO GIVE US CLRNC TO A POINT. WERE SLOWED DOWN, DSNDED, SPED UP, AND VECTORED AGAIN BEFORE IT WAS OVER. WE HAD BEGUN WAITING FOR SOME SANITY WITH A FREQ CHANGE IN BTWN, BUT THE CTLRS WEREN'T TALKING TO EACH OTHER AND GAVE OPPOSING INSTRUCTIONS. FROM THE TCASII IT APPEARED THAT THERE WAS A SEPARATION PROB BTWN 2 ACFT IN FRONT OF US AND THAT EVERY FOLLOWING ACFT WAS BEING PUT THROUGH THE WRINGER WHILE THEY TRIED TO RESOLVE IT. WISH I COULD SAY IT WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, HOWEVER, ON THE NEXT DAY WE RECEIVED SIMILAR HANDLING ONLY TO ARRIVE HIGH, CLOSE IN, AND PERPENDICULAR TO RWY BEFORE CTLR FINALLY CLRED US FOR AN APCH. WE COULDN'T GET IN ANY REQUESTS AS THE CTLR HAD NEAR CONTINUOUS CONVERSATION WITH OTHER ACFT. THE SECTOR MUST BE UNDERSTAFFED, INEXPERIENCED, OR BOTH.

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.