Narrative:

Departing atl, runway 8R, during cleanup had leading edge flap malfunction, abnormal procedure required abnormal airspeed (approximately 210 KIAS) versus normal airspeed of 250 KIAS as soon as practical for our aircraft type in atl. While still analyzing the problem, ATC requested our airspeed, we told them 210 KIAS, and we were working a flap problem. ATC admonished us that we should have notified him immediately of our slow (210 KIAS versus 250 KIAS) airspeed -- he told us we had traffic behind us at 250 KIAS, and he gave us a north vector out of standard traffic. While there was apparently no loss of separation between our aircraft and the following traffic, the controller emphatically chastised us and complained on the radio. The events on departure unraveled quite rapidly, and our attention was correctly focused on flying and analyzing. We had not yet gotten to the point of communicating outside our cockpit. The controller was extremely upset, and this is why I am submitting this NASA ASRS report (the captain and so are also submitting, as we are all concerned about the controller's attitude, tone, admonishment, criticism, and level of anger). The lessons: the controller's words did nothing to help our situation. He was unprofessional and was a distraction to our efforts. We can reconsider the timeliness (or lack of timeliness) of our notification to ATC. However, 'low and slow,' communication in this case was not a top priority. No clear answer for us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATL B727 DEP REDUCES SPD BECAUSE OF FLAP PROBS, ATC QUESTIONS CREW ACTION.

Narrative: DEPARTING ATL, RWY 8R, DURING CLEANUP HAD LEADING EDGE FLAP MALFUNCTION, ABNORMAL PROC REQUIRED ABNORMAL AIRSPD (APPROX 210 KIAS) VERSUS NORMAL AIRSPD OF 250 KIAS AS SOON AS PRACTICAL FOR OUR ACFT TYPE IN ATL. WHILE STILL ANALYZING THE PROB, ATC REQUESTED OUR AIRSPD, WE TOLD THEM 210 KIAS, AND WE WERE WORKING A FLAP PROB. ATC ADMONISHED US THAT WE SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED HIM IMMEDIATELY OF OUR SLOW (210 KIAS VERSUS 250 KIAS) AIRSPD -- HE TOLD US WE HAD TFC BEHIND US AT 250 KIAS, AND HE GAVE US A N VECTOR OUT OF STANDARD TFC. WHILE THERE WAS APPARENTLY NO LOSS OF SEPARATION BTWN OUR ACFT AND THE FOLLOWING TFC, THE CTLR EMPHATICALLY CHASTISED US AND COMPLAINED ON THE RADIO. THE EVENTS ON DEP UNRAVELED QUITE RAPIDLY, AND OUR ATTN WAS CORRECTLY FOCUSED ON FLYING AND ANALYZING. WE HAD NOT YET GOTTEN TO THE POINT OF COMMUNICATING OUTSIDE OUR COCKPIT. THE CTLR WAS EXTREMELY UPSET, AND THIS IS WHY I AM SUBMITTING THIS NASA ASRS RPT (THE CAPT AND SO ARE ALSO SUBMITTING, AS WE ARE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT THE CTLR'S ATTITUDE, TONE, ADMONISHMENT, CRITICISM, AND LEVEL OF ANGER). THE LESSONS: THE CTLR'S WORDS DID NOTHING TO HELP OUR SIT. HE WAS UNPROFESSIONAL AND WAS A DISTR TO OUR EFFORTS. WE CAN RECONSIDER THE TIMELINESS (OR LACK OF TIMELINESS) OF OUR NOTIFICATION TO ATC. HOWEVER, 'LOW AND SLOW,' COM IN THIS CASE WAS NOT A TOP PRIORITY. NO CLR ANSWER FOR US.

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.