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An MD80 captain reports that he queried a departure controller while on a heading that took the flight away from the intended direction of flight, and still did not receive even an indication of what to expect, nor when to expect on course routing. Thunderstorms were in the path of the intended route.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 338550 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199606 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dfw |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 17000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : dfw |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 338550 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Thunderstorm day departing dfw on worth 5 departure. Bad WX on 274 degree radial meant that we would not go that way. Checked on frequency while climbing 345 degree heading, cleared to 17000 ft, and assigned 280 KTS out of 10000 ft. Silence on radio for a full min or more. Now we were about 15 mi upwind with nothing stated by ATC as to what we could expect. Some operational considerations came to mind: asked ATC, 'what is the plan for air carrier xxyz?' reply from controller, '17000 ft, 280 KTS, that's the plan.' he wasn't busy. He knew what I meant. He expressed a certain contempt for my question. I'm driving. I want to know where I am going. His response was unprofessional and quite discourteous. This attitude doesn't surface frequently. It shouldn't happen at all.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD80 CAPT RPTS THAT HE QUERIED A DEP CTLR WHILE ON A HDG THAT TOOK THE FLT AWAY FROM THE INTENDED DIRECTION OF FLT, AND STILL DID NOT RECEIVE EVEN AN INDICATION OF WHAT TO EXPECT, NOR WHEN TO EXPECT ON COURSE ROUTING. TSTMS WERE IN THE PATH OF THE INTENDED RTE.
Narrative: TSTM DAY DEPARTING DFW ON WORTH 5 DEP. BAD WX ON 274 DEG RADIAL MEANT THAT WE WOULD NOT GO THAT WAY. CHKED ON FREQ WHILE CLBING 345 DEG HDG, CLRED TO 17000 FT, AND ASSIGNED 280 KTS OUT OF 10000 FT. SILENCE ON RADIO FOR A FULL MIN OR MORE. NOW WE WERE ABOUT 15 MI UPWIND WITH NOTHING STATED BY ATC AS TO WHAT WE COULD EXPECT. SOME OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS CAME TO MIND: ASKED ATC, 'WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR ACR XXYZ?' REPLY FROM CTLR, '17000 FT, 280 KTS, THAT'S THE PLAN.' HE WASN'T BUSY. HE KNEW WHAT I MEANT. HE EXPRESSED A CERTAIN CONTEMPT FOR MY QUESTION. I'M DRIVING. I WANT TO KNOW WHERE I AM GOING. HIS RESPONSE WAS UNPROFESSIONAL AND QUITE DISCOURTEOUS. THIS ATTITUDE DOESN'T SURFACE FREQUENTLY. IT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN AT ALL.
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.