Supervisor challenged local controller's separation criteria between C152 and a KC35.

Attributes
ACN	443951
Time
Date	199907
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Stratotanker 135
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 12
ASRS Report	443951
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Cessna was doing pattern work. A KC35 (aircraft Y) heavy completed an approach to runway 17 and departed. Cessna reported the heavy in sight and was told to maintain visual and given wake turbulence cautionary. Supervisor questioned the amount of separation between aircraft. He was told that visual was being used. He continued to question the separation and told me I needed 3 mins. He then questioned whether I was going to do anything. Cessna was over threshold on approach, so I waited until the aircraft (X) had landed and then told him to cancel takeoff and hold. Far 7110.65 3-9-764 states that the 3 min interval is not required when aircraft is continually visual. This situation created extra stress on myself and made for an unsafe situation with the cessna on the runway and canceling his takeoff. I feel the supervisor not knowing the rules or how to apply them created a potential hazard.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SUPVR CHALLENGED LCL CTLR'S SEPARATION CRITERIA BTWN C152 AND A KC35.

Narrative: CESSNA WAS DOING PATTERN WORK. A KC35 (ACFT Y) HVY COMPLETED AN APCH TO RWY 17 AND DEPARTED. CESSNA RPTED THE HVY IN SIGHT AND WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN VISUAL AND GIVEN WAKE TURB CAUTIONARY. SUPVR QUESTIONED THE AMOUNT OF SEPARATION BTWN ACFT. HE WAS TOLD THAT VISUAL WAS BEING USED. HE CONTINUED TO QUESTION THE SEPARATION AND TOLD ME I NEEDED 3 MINS. HE THEN QUESTIONED WHETHER I WAS GOING TO DO ANYTHING. CESSNA WAS OVER THRESHOLD ON APCH, SO I WAITED UNTIL THE ACFT (X) HAD LANDED AND THEN TOLD HIM TO CANCEL TKOF AND HOLD. FAR 7110.65 3-9-764 STATES THAT THE 3 MIN INTERVAL IS NOT REQUIRED WHEN ACFT IS CONTINUALLY VISUAL. THIS SIT CREATED EXTRA STRESS ON MYSELF AND MADE FOR AN UNSAFE SIT WITH THE CESSNA ON THE RWY AND CANCELING HIS TKOF. I FEEL THE SUPVR NOT KNOWING THE RULES OR HOW TO APPLY THEM CREATED A POTENTIAL HAZARD.

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.