Narrative:

ATC controller -- unsafe, unprofessional. Just east of rdu, approximately 50 mi wbound on climb out to filed cruise altitude of FL310, climbing through approximately FL240, we were told by ZDC to level off at FL260. WX in dfw required an alternate and we had 40 mins of holding fuel on board for the flight. I asked the ATC controller how long we would be at FL260 and he immediately became belligerent, unprofessional and, in my opinion, at that point was jeopardizing the safety of my aircraft, passenger and crew. He refused to answer my simple question on the time period we might be at FL260 and I told him that I didn't have the fuel to stay there for an indefinite period of time. His statement was that 'rdu was 40 mi ahead and we could land there and get fuel.' his knowing that we just departed orf made it appear that he was being unprofessional and I requested to talk to his supervisor. He said I couldn't talk to his supervisor and to call a number in washington, dc. Of course, he didn't give me the area code. I wonder why. Please listen to the audio tapes of this conversation. I was soon passed to the next controller and he worked with me in a very professional manner and advised me of how long I would be at FL260 when the previous controller said that FL260 would be my final altitude knowing that I didn't have the fuel to remain there. This subsequent controller kept me advised of when I could climb, therefore, I didn't request a vector for a climb to a higher altitude which I would have needed to complete my flight to dfw. The attitude of the belligerent controller was uncalled for and unsafe and should be dealt with. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the captain has not heard any reply from his company concerning the report. He felt the controller was jeopardizing the safety of his aircraft. The controller definitely left the impression that he was trying to fly the aircraft. The controller was asked for a vector so that he could climb. He was told curtly that vectors were not available. When the reporter asked to have the controller's supervisor on frequency the controller stated that there were no supervisors on duty. When asked for a ZDC telephone number he gave it but refused to give the area code. When switched to the next ZDC controller the entire attitude changed and the crew was able to get their questions answered to their satisfaction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD BELLIGERENT ARTCC RADAR CTLR THAT REFUSED TO WORK WITH CREW ON WHEN THEY COULD EXPECT A CLB CLRNC IN ZDC CLASS A AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ATC CTLR -- UNSAFE, UNPROFESSIONAL. JUST E OF RDU, APPROX 50 MI WBOUND ON CLBOUT TO FILED CRUISE ALT OF FL310, CLBING THROUGH APPROX FL240, WE WERE TOLD BY ZDC TO LEVEL OFF AT FL260. WX IN DFW REQUIRED AN ALTERNATE AND WE HAD 40 MINS OF HOLDING FUEL ON BOARD FOR THE FLT. I ASKED THE ATC CTLR HOW LONG WE WOULD BE AT FL260 AND HE IMMEDIATELY BECAME BELLIGERENT, UNPROFESSIONAL AND, IN MY OPINION, AT THAT POINT WAS JEOPARDIZING THE SAFETY OF MY ACFT, PAX AND CREW. HE REFUSED TO ANSWER MY SIMPLE QUESTION ON THE TIME PERIOD WE MIGHT BE AT FL260 AND I TOLD HIM THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE FUEL TO STAY THERE FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD OF TIME. HIS STATEMENT WAS THAT 'RDU WAS 40 MI AHEAD AND WE COULD LAND THERE AND GET FUEL.' HIS KNOWING THAT WE JUST DEPARTED ORF MADE IT APPEAR THAT HE WAS BEING UNPROFESSIONAL AND I REQUESTED TO TALK TO HIS SUPVR. HE SAID I COULDN'T TALK TO HIS SUPVR AND TO CALL A NUMBER IN WASHINGTON, DC. OF COURSE, HE DIDN'T GIVE ME THE AREA CODE. I WONDER WHY. PLEASE LISTEN TO THE AUDIO TAPES OF THIS CONVERSATION. I WAS SOON PASSED TO THE NEXT CTLR AND HE WORKED WITH ME IN A VERY PROFESSIONAL MANNER AND ADVISED ME OF HOW LONG I WOULD BE AT FL260 WHEN THE PREVIOUS CTLR SAID THAT FL260 WOULD BE MY FINAL ALT KNOWING THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE FUEL TO REMAIN THERE. THIS SUBSEQUENT CTLR KEPT ME ADVISED OF WHEN I COULD CLB, THEREFORE, I DIDN'T REQUEST A VECTOR FOR A CLB TO A HIGHER ALT WHICH I WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO COMPLETE MY FLT TO DFW. THE ATTITUDE OF THE BELLIGERENT CTLR WAS UNCALLED FOR AND UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE DEALT WITH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CAPT HAS NOT HEARD ANY REPLY FROM HIS COMPANY CONCERNING THE RPT. HE FELT THE CTLR WAS JEOPARDIZING THE SAFETY OF HIS ACFT. THE CTLR DEFINITELY LEFT THE IMPRESSION THAT HE WAS TRYING TO FLY THE ACFT. THE CTLR WAS ASKED FOR A VECTOR SO THAT HE COULD CLB. HE WAS TOLD CURTLY THAT VECTORS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. WHEN THE RPTR ASKED TO HAVE THE CTLR'S SUPVR ON FREQ THE CTLR STATED THAT THERE WERE NO SUPVRS ON DUTY. WHEN ASKED FOR A ZDC TELEPHONE NUMBER HE GAVE IT BUT REFUSED TO GIVE THE AREA CODE. WHEN SWITCHED TO THE NEXT ZDC CTLR THE ENTIRE ATTITUDE CHANGED AND THE CREW WAS ABLE TO GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED TO THEIR SATISFACTION.

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.