L1011 flight crew annoyed about ATC slowdown at cruise altitude.

Attributes
ACN	328340
Time
Date	199602
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx tower : pdx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	L-1011 Tri-Star All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	328340
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	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:

On both days we were slowed down to minimum forward airspeed to follow behind one DC9 or one MD88. This slowdown cost us 24 mins and 4000 pounds of fuel and 15 mins and 3000 pounds of fuel respectively. However at the distances involved we could have easily overtaken the aircraft with adequate spacing. In fact, ZTL, who did not get the pass-down from jax, admitted as much. Maybe there was junior staffing over the holiday weekend, but controllers should be aware that slowing an airplane may not save fuel and in fact causes more fuel to be burned. We also don't need a late flight due to ATC exclusively.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: L1011 FLC ANNOYED ABOUT ATC SLOWDOWN AT CRUISE ALT.

Narrative: ON BOTH DAYS WE WERE SLOWED DOWN TO MINIMUM FORWARD AIRSPD TO FOLLOW BEHIND ONE DC9 OR ONE MD88. THIS SLOWDOWN COST US 24 MINS AND 4000 LBS OF FUEL AND 15 MINS AND 3000 LBS OF FUEL RESPECTIVELY. HOWEVER AT THE DISTANCES INVOLVED WE COULD HAVE EASILY OVERTAKEN THE ACFT WITH ADEQUATE SPACING. IN FACT, ZTL, WHO DID NOT GET THE PASS-DOWN FROM JAX, ADMITTED AS MUCH. MAYBE THERE WAS JUNIOR STAFFING OVER THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND, BUT CTLRS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT SLOWING AN AIRPLANE MAY NOT SAVE FUEL AND IN FACT CAUSES MORE FUEL TO BE BURNED. WE ALSO DON'T NEED A LATE FLT DUE TO ATC EXCLUSIVELY.

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.