2 incidents offered to illustrate a perception of an attitude problem with ATC controllers.

Attributes
ACN	548830
Time
Date	200205
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : chs.airport
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : chs.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 36
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	548830
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

I realized that course/route would be over water for a long time, and I was attempting to ask ATC for a more favorable route over land. He was busy as the one-armed paperhanger as he was handling at least 2 sectors at chs with a lot of military aircraft as well as the usual civilian traffic. In a courteous and patient manner I made several calls resulting in a comment by the controller, curt and terse, that he was busy and to stand by. With more than 2 frequencys being handled by 1 person, all parties on 1 frequency are not able to hear the radio traffic on other frequencys. In the event of an emergency, the controller might not handle it as expeditiously as it should be handled. When there is a high volume of radio traffic, 1 controller should handle 1 sector. Courtesy, patience, respect should rule. Providing the safest service possible should be the goal in it all! On departing mco runway 36L, I did not dial in transponder code. As I turned out of pattern, tower called and told me this. I dialed in the appropriate code before answering. The controller was somewhat terse and curt in saying to me that I had not answered him more quickly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 INCIDENTS OFFERED TO ILLUSTRATE A PERCEPTION OF AN ATTITUDE PROB WITH ATC CTLRS.

Narrative: I REALIZED THAT COURSE/RTE WOULD BE OVER WATER FOR A LONG TIME, AND I WAS ATTEMPTING TO ASK ATC FOR A MORE FAVORABLE RTE OVER LAND. HE WAS BUSY AS THE ONE-ARMED PAPERHANGER AS HE WAS HANDLING AT LEAST 2 SECTORS AT CHS WITH A LOT OF MIL ACFT AS WELL AS THE USUAL CIVILIAN TFC. IN A COURTEOUS AND PATIENT MANNER I MADE SEVERAL CALLS RESULTING IN A COMMENT BY THE CTLR, CURT AND TERSE, THAT HE WAS BUSY AND TO STAND BY. WITH MORE THAN 2 FREQS BEING HANDLED BY 1 PERSON, ALL PARTIES ON 1 FREQ ARE NOT ABLE TO HEAR THE RADIO TFC ON OTHER FREQS. IN THE EVENT OF AN EMER, THE CTLR MIGHT NOT HANDLE IT AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS IT SHOULD BE HANDLED. WHEN THERE IS A HIGH VOLUME OF RADIO TFC, 1 CTLR SHOULD HANDLE 1 SECTOR. COURTESY, PATIENCE, RESPECT SHOULD RULE. PROVIDING THE SAFEST SVC POSSIBLE SHOULD BE THE GOAL IN IT ALL! ON DEPARTING MCO RWY 36L, I DID NOT DIAL IN XPONDER CODE. AS I TURNED OUT OF PATTERN, TWR CALLED AND TOLD ME THIS. I DIALED IN THE APPROPRIATE CODE BEFORE ANSWERING. THE CTLR WAS SOMEWHAT TERSE AND CURT IN SAYING TO ME THAT I HAD NOT ANSWERED HIM MORE QUICKLY.

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.