Narrative:

In terms of the spacing between aircraft landing and taking off, stl is the worst airport I have ever operated from. I have discussed this with other capts and found they do the same thing I do. When scheduled into stl, I brief my first officer's to expe ct a go around for traffic on the runway every time we fly into stl. Virtually each and every professional pilot I talk to is equally uncomfortable with the minimal spacing given at stl. On this flight, we flew the lda approach and broke out at 3000 ft MSL. There was another aircraft on the approach ahead of us. We barely had enough room for him to land and vacate the runway before we landed yet we were told to expect 1 departure prior to our arrival. I told the first officer we would go around if the runway was not clear by 200 ft AGL, and to expect it. Sure enough, the departure was issued a takeoff clearance when we were at 600 ft AGL, and was still on the runway when we were at 200 ft AGL. I was amazed when the tower immediately called to ask if we had a problem. I said 'yeah, another airplane on the runway.' this dangerous situation occurs every time I go to stl. Why do they try to cram too much traffic into too little space? Many, many, many professionals want this to stop.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FK10 ACFT ON APCH HAD TO GAR DUE TO TKOF TFC ON RWY. RPTR CAPT FAULTS THE TWR FACILITY FOR REGULARLY SPACING ACFT TOO CLOSE RESULTING IN MANY GARS.

Narrative: IN TERMS OF THE SPACING BTWN ACFT LNDG AND TAKING OFF, STL IS THE WORST ARPT I HAVE EVER OPERATED FROM. I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH OTHER CAPTS AND FOUND THEY DO THE SAME THING I DO. WHEN SCHEDULED INTO STL, I BRIEF MY FO'S TO EXPE CT A GAR FOR TFC ON THE RWY EVERY TIME WE FLY INTO STL. VIRTUALLY EACH AND EVERY PROFESSIONAL PLT I TALK TO IS EQUALLY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE MINIMAL SPACING GIVEN AT STL. ON THIS FLT, WE FLEW THE LDA APCH AND BROKE OUT AT 3000 FT MSL. THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT ON THE APCH AHEAD OF US. WE BARELY HAD ENOUGH ROOM FOR HIM TO LAND AND VACATE THE RWY BEFORE WE LANDED YET WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT 1 DEP PRIOR TO OUR ARR. I TOLD THE FO WE WOULD GO AROUND IF THE RWY WAS NOT CLR BY 200 FT AGL, AND TO EXPECT IT. SURE ENOUGH, THE DEP WAS ISSUED A TKOF CLRNC WHEN WE WERE AT 600 FT AGL, AND WAS STILL ON THE RWY WHEN WE WERE AT 200 FT AGL. I WAS AMAZED WHEN THE TWR IMMEDIATELY CALLED TO ASK IF WE HAD A PROB. I SAID 'YEAH, ANOTHER AIRPLANE ON THE RWY.' THIS DANGEROUS SIT OCCURS EVERY TIME I GO TO STL. WHY DO THEY TRY TO CRAM TOO MUCH TFC INTO TOO LITTLE SPACE? MANY, MANY, MANY PROFESSIONALS WANT THIS TO STOP.

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.