C172 flight crew asked for delay for IFR takeoff due to wake turbulence of departing B737. Tower con...

Attributes
ACN	413796
Time
Date	199809
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rnt
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pvd
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 52 flight time total : 2556 flight time type : 1905
ASRS Report	413796
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
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:

I was flying as safety pilot. We were at runway 33, had received our IFR clearance, and were told to hold short for a boeing jet. The boeing jet was cleared for takeoff. As the B737 started its takeoff roll I started my stopwatch. After about 1 min 30 seconds we were cleared for takeoff. I asked the PIC to ask for an additional 2 mins for wake turbulence separation, since we should have been provided with 3 mins, and can ask for an additional 2 mins (the B737 is a 'large' and a C172 is a 'small'). The PIC did so. At this point, the controller canceled our clearance and said he'd have to call for another release. We continued to hold short and wait for our release. After an additional 6-7 mins another airplane reported to tower at runway 33 for their IFR release. The controller then told us we'd have to wait for the other airplane behind us because he'd told us we had to call him back for our clearance (he didn't). We requested a VFR departure and the controller told us that approach preferred that we hold on the ground. We told him that we were requesting a VFR departure, were not canceling our IFR flight plan, and were happy to take our chances with approach. We were cleared for takeoff, given an early frequency change, and our IFR clearance in about 8 mi. I think the controller cleared us for takeoff too soon in order to protect our release time. When we asked for the additional 2 mins he should have explicitly stated that we should contact him when we were ready to go, if that was what we wanted. He shouldn't have argued about our departing VFR -- that's between us and approach. If they couldn't handle us IFR, they wouldn't. I'd like to add something that we could have done to improve safety in this situation, but the only 2 things that I can think of are: 1) park the airplane. 2) bugged the controller for our release. In terms of human performance, renton tower will become a contract tower, but this has been delayed. Because of this, the controllers are in limbo -- their words -- and have become very unprofessional -- my words -- due to very poor morale.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 FLC ASKED FOR DELAY FOR IFR TKOF DUE TO WAKE TURB OF DEPARTING B737. TWR CTLR REQUIRED TO COORD WITH TRACON FOR ANOTHER DEP RELEASE, CAUSING FURTHER DELAY. FLC DEPARTS VFR AND PICKS UP IFR WHEN AIRBORNE. PIC PERCEIVES POOR SVC BY ATC TWR CTLR.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AS SAFETY PLT. WE WERE AT RWY 33, HAD RECEIVED OUR IFR CLRNC, AND WERE TOLD TO HOLD SHORT FOR A BOEING JET. THE BOEING JET WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. AS THE B737 STARTED ITS TKOF ROLL I STARTED MY STOPWATCH. AFTER ABOUT 1 MIN 30 SECONDS WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. I ASKED THE PIC TO ASK FOR AN ADDITIONAL 2 MINS FOR WAKE TURB SEPARATION, SINCE WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH 3 MINS, AND CAN ASK FOR AN ADDITIONAL 2 MINS (THE B737 IS A 'LARGE' AND A C172 IS A 'SMALL'). THE PIC DID SO. AT THIS POINT, THE CTLR CANCELED OUR CLRNC AND SAID HE'D HAVE TO CALL FOR ANOTHER RELEASE. WE CONTINUED TO HOLD SHORT AND WAIT FOR OUR RELEASE. AFTER AN ADDITIONAL 6-7 MINS ANOTHER AIRPLANE RPTED TO TWR AT RWY 33 FOR THEIR IFR RELEASE. THE CTLR THEN TOLD US WE'D HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE OTHER AIRPLANE BEHIND US BECAUSE HE'D TOLD US WE HAD TO CALL HIM BACK FOR OUR CLRNC (HE DIDN'T). WE REQUESTED A VFR DEP AND THE CTLR TOLD US THAT APCH PREFERRED THAT WE HOLD ON THE GND. WE TOLD HIM THAT WE WERE REQUESTING A VFR DEP, WERE NOT CANCELING OUR IFR FLT PLAN, AND WERE HAPPY TO TAKE OUR CHANCES WITH APCH. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF, GIVEN AN EARLY FREQ CHANGE, AND OUR IFR CLRNC IN ABOUT 8 MI. I THINK THE CTLR CLRED US FOR TKOF TOO SOON IN ORDER TO PROTECT OUR RELEASE TIME. WHEN WE ASKED FOR THE ADDITIONAL 2 MINS HE SHOULD HAVE EXPLICITLY STATED THAT WE SHOULD CONTACT HIM WHEN WE WERE READY TO GO, IF THAT WAS WHAT WE WANTED. HE SHOULDN'T HAVE ARGUED ABOUT OUR DEPARTING VFR -- THAT'S BTWN US AND APCH. IF THEY COULDN'T HANDLE US IFR, THEY WOULDN'T. I'D LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE TO IMPROVE SAFETY IN THIS SIT, BUT THE ONLY 2 THINGS THAT I CAN THINK OF ARE: 1) PARK THE AIRPLANE. 2) BUGGED THE CTLR FOR OUR RELEASE. IN TERMS OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE, RENTON TWR WILL BECOME A CONTRACT TWR, BUT THIS HAS BEEN DELAYED. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE CTLRS ARE IN LIMBO -- THEIR WORDS -- AND HAVE BECOME VERY UNPROFESSIONAL -- MY WORDS -- DUE TO VERY POOR MORALE.

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.