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B757 crew experienced poor ARTCC radar controller attitude in ZTL class a airspace when encountering turbulence and aircraft flying characteristics.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 517136 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200107 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ztl.artcc |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 37000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | Turbulence |
| Light | Dawn |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc tower : vhhh.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 517136 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : turbulence |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : ztl.artcc |
Narrative:
Initial cruise altitude was FL330. Had continous light chop. Climbed to FL370 where it was reported that it was smooth. Switched controllers to ZTL frequency 128.02. Got asked how fast we were going (mach 0.800). Told to slow down to mach 0.750. Told him I would check about going that slow (buffet, etc) at FL370. He told us to slow to mach 0.750 or we were going to be descended. Checked and we had 30 KT buffer. Told him slowing to mach 0.750 but that if we encountered turbulence, we might have to speed up. This set him off, 'either slow down, or be descended...no conditional clearance...separation from life flight.' told him we were at mach 0.750. No attempt or mention of vector, just my way or highway. 2 things: 1) why vectors were not used was beyond me. 2) B737 still tend to muck up the airspace system with their slow cruise speeds. The B757 is hardly a speed demon at mach 0.800.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B757 CREW EXPERIENCED POOR ARTCC RADAR CTLR ATTITUDE IN ZTL CLASS A AIRSPACE WHEN ENCOUNTERING TURB AND ACFT FLYING CHARACTERISTICS.
Narrative: INITIAL CRUISE ALT WAS FL330. HAD CONTINOUS LIGHT CHOP. CLBED TO FL370 WHERE IT WAS RPTED THAT IT WAS SMOOTH. SWITCHED CTLRS TO ZTL FREQ 128.02. GOT ASKED HOW FAST WE WERE GOING (MACH 0.800). TOLD TO SLOW DOWN TO MACH 0.750. TOLD HIM I WOULD CHK ABOUT GOING THAT SLOW (BUFFET, ETC) AT FL370. HE TOLD US TO SLOW TO MACH 0.750 OR WE WERE GOING TO BE DSNDED. CHKED AND WE HAD 30 KT BUFFER. TOLD HIM SLOWING TO MACH 0.750 BUT THAT IF WE ENCOUNTERED TURB, WE MIGHT HAVE TO SPD UP. THIS SET HIM OFF, 'EITHER SLOW DOWN, OR BE DSNDED...NO CONDITIONAL CLRNC...SEPARATION FROM LIFE FLT.' TOLD HIM WE WERE AT MACH 0.750. NO ATTEMPT OR MENTION OF VECTOR, JUST MY WAY OR HWY. 2 THINGS: 1) WHY VECTORS WERE NOT USED WAS BEYOND ME. 2) B737 STILL TEND TO MUCK UP THE AIRSPACE SYS WITH THEIR SLOW CRUISE SPDS. THE B757 IS HARDLY A SPD DEMON AT MACH 0.800.
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.