Narrative:

ZTL is phase 3A of dsr transition (initial 24 hour operation). WX was heavily impacting atl departures and arrs. Holding of arrival aircraft was necessary due to nonstandard arrival procedures (arrs were entering through departure gate). ZTL had initiated standardized flow restrs to attempt to alleviate excessive traffic during dsr transition, however, these minimal restrs were not adequate due to the WX and complexity of the situation. Area supervisors requested additional restrs and were met with resistance by tmu. As a result, the situation reached an unmanageable and unsafe level and a midair was narrowly averted. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter claims that the situation reported on could have been avoided if the ZTL tmu was more cooperative in taking action early enough. Reporter claims since the FAA administrator issued her policy statement about reducing delays, the ZTL tmu has taken a position to keep the pressure on all the sectors. Reporter said in this particular case, the supervisor had asked the tmu for additional mi in trail and a ground delay program. Supervisor was told by tmu that they couldn't justify that, so no help was given to ZTL sector 10 (la grange), even though the monitor alert for the sector was in the red most of the time. Asked reporter about near midair that was in report. Reporter stated that there was no loss of separation. The facility oedp did not activate. The radar controller descended the military aircraft X at the last min, even though the controller was busy and the frequencys congested.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATES THAT THE ZTL TMU WAS RELUCTANT TO INITIATE ADDITIONAL RESTRS, EVEN THOUGH THE OPS SUPVR HAD ASKED THEM TO DO SO.

Narrative: ZTL IS PHASE 3A OF DSR TRANSITION (INITIAL 24 HR OP). WX WAS HEAVILY IMPACTING ATL DEPS AND ARRS. HOLDING OF ARR ACFT WAS NECESSARY DUE TO NONSTANDARD ARR PROCS (ARRS WERE ENTERING THROUGH DEP GATE). ZTL HAD INITIATED STANDARDIZED FLOW RESTRS TO ATTEMPT TO ALLEVIATE EXCESSIVE TFC DURING DSR TRANSITION, HOWEVER, THESE MINIMAL RESTRS WERE NOT ADEQUATE DUE TO THE WX AND COMPLEXITY OF THE SIT. AREA SUPVRS REQUESTED ADDITIONAL RESTRS AND WERE MET WITH RESISTANCE BY TMU. AS A RESULT, THE SIT REACHED AN UNMANAGEABLE AND UNSAFE LEVEL AND A MIDAIR WAS NARROWLY AVERTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR CLAIMS THAT THE SIT RPTED ON COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE ZTL TMU WAS MORE COOPERATIVE IN TAKING ACTION EARLY ENOUGH. RPTR CLAIMS SINCE THE FAA ADMINISTRATOR ISSUED HER POLICY STATEMENT ABOUT REDUCING DELAYS, THE ZTL TMU HAS TAKEN A POS TO KEEP THE PRESSURE ON ALL THE SECTORS. RPTR SAID IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE SUPVR HAD ASKED THE TMU FOR ADDITIONAL MI IN TRAIL AND A GND DELAY PROGRAM. SUPVR WAS TOLD BY TMU THAT THEY COULDN'T JUSTIFY THAT, SO NO HELP WAS GIVEN TO ZTL SECTOR 10 (LA GRANGE), EVEN THOUGH THE MONITOR ALERT FOR THE SECTOR WAS IN THE RED MOST OF THE TIME. ASKED RPTR ABOUT NEAR MIDAIR THAT WAS IN RPT. RPTR STATED THAT THERE WAS NO LOSS OF SEPARATION. THE FACILITY OEDP DID NOT ACTIVATE. THE RADAR CTLR DSNDED THE MIL ACFT X AT THE LAST MIN, EVEN THOUGH THE CTLR WAS BUSY AND THE FREQS CONGESTED.

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.