A CL65 rj flight crew report on traffic volume/congestion and gars at atl, GA.

Attributes
ACN	526799
Time
Date	200110
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl.tracon tower : sna.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Canadair/Bombardier Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	526799
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Airport
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : atl.tracon

Narrative:

Atl approach was trying to clear us for a visual approach to runway 8L at katl. The sunrise made it impossible for us to see traffic to follow, or the airport. The controller gave us 'turn left to 360 degrees, climb and maintain 6000 ft' to bring us around for an ILS. While we were climbing through 5200 ft MSL approach said 'aircraft X, I need you at 4000 ft,' or something to that effect. Nothing else was said and we successfully completed the next approach. Factors were high workload for both of us and the controller, the blinding sunrise, and approach's desire to maximize landings. I have never had as many near gars due to close spacing than at katl.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL65 RJ FLC REPORT ON TFC VOLUME/CONGESTION AND GARS AT ATL, GA.

Narrative: ATL APCH WAS TRYING TO CLR US FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 8L AT KATL. THE SUNRISE MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO SEE TFC TO FOLLOW, OR THE ARPT. THE CTLR GAVE US 'TURN LEFT TO 360 DEGS, CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 6000 FT' TO BRING US AROUND FOR AN ILS. WHILE WE WERE CLIMBING THROUGH 5200 FT MSL APCH SAID 'ACFT X, I NEED YOU AT 4000 FT,' OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID AND WE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE NEXT APCH. FACTORS WERE HIGH WORKLOAD FOR BOTH OF US AND THE CTLR, THE BLINDING SUNRISE, AND APCH'S DESIRE TO MAXIMIZE LANDINGS. I HAVE NEVER HAD AS MANY NEAR GARS DUE TO CLOSE SPACING THAN AT KATL.

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.