A falcon flight crew felt that the taxi for takeoff procedures at dca favored the airlines.

Attributes
ACN	453738
Time
Date	199911
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Falcon 900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	453738
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

A potential problem with dca ground control exists. During heavy traffic periods, it is normal for the dca ground controller to tell outbound GA aircraft to taxi up to the fire house holding point and then call him as 'N1234 is #1 at the fire house.' this works well because I don't believe the tower can see us until that point anyway. The breakdown in communication occurs once we are waiting at the 'fire house.' last night a number of GA aircraft were told to get in line at the fire house and only then report when they reached the #1 position. We were then flat out ignored. The lead airplane waited 30 mins to get further clearance for taxi. Numerous airliners called for and were granted pushback and taxi instructions. The requested radio silence was held superbly by the GA string of airplanes. But finally, several politely said in effect 'hey, what about us?' only then did ground control start to move us. If tower personnel want us to 'monitor frequencys' and to 'stand by' we will do it. But the controllers can't then ignore us while taxiing lots of airliners passed us. We will end up jamming the frequency when it is obviously the way to get service.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FALCON FLC FELT THAT THE TAXI FOR TKOF PROCS AT DCA FAVORED THE AIRLINES.

Narrative: A POTENTIAL PROB WITH DCA GND CTL EXISTS. DURING HVY TFC PERIODS, IT IS NORMAL FOR THE DCA GND CTLR TO TELL OUTBOUND GA ACFT TO TAXI UP TO THE FIRE HOUSE HOLDING POINT AND THEN CALL HIM AS 'N1234 IS #1 AT THE FIRE HOUSE.' THIS WORKS WELL BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THE TWR CAN SEE US UNTIL THAT POINT ANYWAY. THE BREAKDOWN IN COM OCCURS ONCE WE ARE WAITING AT THE 'FIRE HOUSE.' LAST NIGHT A NUMBER OF GA ACFT WERE TOLD TO GET IN LINE AT THE FIRE HOUSE AND ONLY THEN RPT WHEN THEY REACHED THE #1 POS. WE WERE THEN FLAT OUT IGNORED. THE LEAD AIRPLANE WAITED 30 MINS TO GET FURTHER CLRNC FOR TAXI. NUMEROUS AIRLINERS CALLED FOR AND WERE GRANTED PUSHBACK AND TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. THE REQUESTED RADIO SILENCE WAS HELD SUPERBLY BY THE GA STRING OF AIRPLANES. BUT FINALLY, SEVERAL POLITELY SAID IN EFFECT 'HEY, WHAT ABOUT US?' ONLY THEN DID GND CTL START TO MOVE US. IF TWR PERSONNEL WANT US TO 'MONITOR FREQS' AND TO 'STAND BY' WE WILL DO IT. BUT THE CTLRS CAN'T THEN IGNORE US WHILE TAXIING LOTS OF AIRLINERS PASSED US. WE WILL END UP JAMMING THE FREQ WHEN IT IS OBVIOUSLY THE WAY TO GET SVC.

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.