Narrative:

ATC had us speed restr to 250 KTS. As we were climbing through the mid 20's, the controller then asked for a 'good rate of climb' through FL250. Then he asked us what our rate of climb would be. My answer was '1000-1200 FPM.' I then explained to him that our normal speed would be around 310 KTS and because he had put us behind the power curve, we were unable to climb at a better rate and that we would need to level in order to accelerate and then continue the climb. The controller never mentioned why he wanted the 'good rate of climb' and never pointed out conflicting traffic. The controller allowed us normal speed upon my request. Then he gave us a frequency change. The frustrating point is that this same event has happened to me many times in the last month in the same location. It is my belief that controllers are under the wrong impression that 250 KTS equates to our best rate of climb speed, they are very wrong epically when an MD80 is involved. I hope we have an ATC liaison who can educate the local controllers on our limitations. I would also appreciate a definition of 'good rate of climb,' and when a traffic conflict does not appear to be an issue, and then follow that with a frequency change.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CAPT EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH ZNY CTLR REGARDING FAMILIARITY WITH ACFT SPD AND CORRESPONDING CLB RATE WITH A POTENTIAL UNSPECIFIED CONFLICT.

Narrative: ATC HAD US SPD RESTR TO 250 KTS. AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH THE MID 20'S, THE CTLR THEN ASKED FOR A 'GOOD RATE OF CLB' THROUGH FL250. THEN HE ASKED US WHAT OUR RATE OF CLB WOULD BE. MY ANSWER WAS '1000-1200 FPM.' I THEN EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT OUR NORMAL SPD WOULD BE AROUND 310 KTS AND BECAUSE HE HAD PUT US BEHIND THE PWR CURVE, WE WERE UNABLE TO CLB AT A BETTER RATE AND THAT WE WOULD NEED TO LEVEL IN ORDER TO ACCELERATE AND THEN CONTINUE THE CLB. THE CTLR NEVER MENTIONED WHY HE WANTED THE 'GOOD RATE OF CLB' AND NEVER POINTED OUT CONFLICTING TFC. THE CTLR ALLOWED US NORMAL SPD UPON MY REQUEST. THEN HE GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE. THE FRUSTRATING POINT IS THAT THIS SAME EVENT HAS HAPPENED TO ME MANY TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH IN THE SAME LOCATION. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT CTLRS ARE UNDER THE WRONG IMPRESSION THAT 250 KTS EQUATES TO OUR BEST RATE OF CLB SPD, THEY ARE VERY WRONG EPICALLY WHEN AN MD80 IS INVOLVED. I HOPE WE HAVE AN ATC LIAISON WHO CAN EDUCATE THE LCL CTLRS ON OUR LIMITATIONS. I WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE A DEFINITION OF 'GOOD RATE OF CLB,' AND WHEN A TFC CONFLICT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE AN ISSUE, AND THEN FOLLOW THAT WITH A FREQ CHANGE.

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.