Narrative:

We were number 2 for takeoff behind a B757. I had just briefed my copilot that my criteria for taking off behind a 'heavy' aircraft was 1 minute and 45 seconds, because I knew atl's policy was to clear us for takeoff so that 'by the time you're off the ground, you'll have 4 mi spacing.' and indeed, at one minute after they cleared the B757 for takeoff, we were cleared for takeoff. I told the tower we needed another 30 seconds, to which he replied, 'cancel takeoff clearance, position and hold.' (at that time the B757 was about 2 1/4 mi ahead of us on TCAS.) he crossed an aircraft downfield and then cleared us for takeoff again. As we were rolling down the runway, 20 KTS prior to V1, the tower cleared the aircraft behind us for takeoff. If we had to abort (which was clearly possible 20 KTS prior to V1) and if either the tower, or the other aircraft had radio problems, or he also had to abort, things could have been very bad. I know atl gets busy, but this is not the right way to approach the problem! On this day, at that time, there were only 2...possibly 3 aircraft behind us. What's the rush? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated that he did not feel the controller was trying to penalize him for taking the extra delay, but that the tone of the controller was somewhat condescending. He sees no need during light traffic times to run right up to the limit of spacing rules and feels that less experienced crews may be led into a wake turbulence situation that is hazardous. While taxiing in on a subsequent arrival the same day at atl, he observed a similar incident that he considered questionable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW OBJECTS TO TOO CLOSE SPACING FOR TKOF BEHIND A B757.

Narrative: WE WERE NUMBER 2 FOR TKOF BEHIND A B757. I HAD JUST BRIEFED MY COPLT THAT MY CRITERIA FOR TAKING OFF BEHIND A 'HEAVY' ACFT WAS 1 MINUTE AND 45 SECONDS, BECAUSE I KNEW ATL'S POLICY WAS TO CLEAR US FOR TKOF SO THAT 'BY THE TIME YOU'RE OFF THE GND, YOU'LL HAVE 4 MI SPACING.' AND INDEED, AT ONE MINUTE AFTER THEY CLRED THE B757 FOR TKOF, WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. I TOLD THE TWR WE NEEDED ANOTHER 30 SECONDS, TO WHICH HE REPLIED, 'CANCEL TKOF CLRNC, POS AND HOLD.' (AT THAT TIME THE B757 WAS ABOUT 2 1/4 MI AHEAD OF US ON TCAS.) HE CROSSED AN ACFT DOWNFIELD AND THEN CLRED US FOR TKOF AGAIN. AS WE WERE ROLLING DOWN THE RWY, 20 KTS PRIOR TO V1, THE TWR CLRED THE ACFT BEHIND US FOR TKOF. IF WE HAD TO ABORT (WHICH WAS CLRLY POSSIBLE 20 KTS PRIOR TO V1) AND IF EITHER THE TWR, OR THE OTHER ACFT HAD RADIO PROBS, OR HE ALSO HAD TO ABORT, THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD. I KNOW ATL GETS BUSY, BUT THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO APPROACH THE PROB! ON THIS DAY, AT THAT TIME, THERE WERE ONLY 2...POSSIBLY 3 ACFT BEHIND US. WHAT'S THE RUSH? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THAT HE DID NOT FEEL THE CTLR WAS TRYING TO PENALIZE HIM FOR TAKING THE EXTRA DELAY, BUT THAT THE TONE OF THE CTLR WAS SOMEWHAT CONDESCENDING. HE SEES NO NEED DURING LIGHT TFC TIMES TO RUN RIGHT UP TO THE LIMIT OF SPACING RULES AND FEELS THAT LESS EXPERIENCED CREWS MAY BE LED INTO A WAKE TURB SIT THAT IS HAZARDOUS. WHILE TAXIING IN ON A SUBSEQUENT ARR THE SAME DAY AT ATL, HE OBSERVED A SIMILAR INCIDENT THAT HE CONSIDERED QUESTIONABLE.

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.