Narrative:

This complaint is another of a type previously reported. ZME 'feeds' en route aircraft into mem approach airspace via the '4 cornerpost' system. On a daily basis and 'anytime' heavy aircraft are involved; any of the 4 sectors will 'drive' trailing aircraft into a 'less than required' wake turbulence in-trail separation situation behind a heavy jet. This also happens with large jet aircraft. This 'technique' used by ZME is their method of 'standard in-trail' separation. ZME will instruct jet and propeller aircraft to 'go fast' as they're entering approach airspace. This is a useless technique because the aircraft must slow down and start the descent and radar vectors for required radar spacing from approach to the final control position. ZME will instruct jet and heavy jet aircraft to 'resume normal speed' just as their radio frequencys are changed to mem approach control. The heavy jets will slow down rapidly on their own; especially on the 'short side' or base leg feed to the final controllers. Every heavy jet pilot has told me that to slow down and descend is very difficult if not impossible. This is the case with air carrier X heavy DC10/MD11's. It is common for ZME to 'force feed' mem approach several jets in-trail of a heavy and have the trailing jets go fast. Because of the way the STAR transitions feed into the arrival gates ZME uses 'go fast' speeds knowing that as soon as the aircraft crosses the 40 NM 'xfer of control point' approach will descend the arrival aircraft. This is especially true for the short side/base leg feed. This causes the usual 10 NM jet in-trail spacing to decrease to minimum radar separation. This becomes even more unsatisfactory for jet aircraft operating behind a heavy jet. The stars should be reworked to establish 'one' in-trail feed as they enter mem airspace/crossing the xfer of control point. ZME thinks nothing about giving mem approach of 'cut off' with jet aircraft as they enter our airspace. ZME continues to only switch aircraft frequencys to mem as 'they cross the xfer of control point.' this lack of respect and violation of the FAA handbook 7110.65 which requires aircraft to be on the next facility's frequencys before they enter the next airspace only ensures to 'protect' themselves from a possible error. Action must be taken to bring ZME's poor jet n-trail spacing and techniques to their attention. I sense that ZME management has no control over the ZME controllers. During the period that I worked the approach position; I had to slow and give an immediate radar vector to maintain 'minimum' radar wake turbulence separation. We're handed this type of situation several times a day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM APCH CTLR EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION REGARDING ZME CTLR'S TECHNIQUE DURING ARR FEED FOR MEM ARPT AND REQUIRED HVY SEPARATION.

Narrative: THIS COMPLAINT IS ANOTHER OF A TYPE PREVIOUSLY RPTED. ZME 'FEEDS' ENRTE ACFT INTO MEM APCH AIRSPACE VIA THE '4 CORNERPOST' SYS. ON A DAILY BASIS AND 'ANYTIME' HVY ACFT ARE INVOLVED; ANY OF THE 4 SECTORS WILL 'DRIVE' TRAILING ACFT INTO A 'LESS THAN REQUIRED' WAKE TURB IN-TRAIL SEPARATION SIT BEHIND A HVY JET. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WITH LARGE JET ACFT. THIS 'TECHNIQUE' USED BY ZME IS THEIR METHOD OF 'STANDARD IN-TRAIL' SEPARATION. ZME WILL INSTRUCT JET AND PROP ACFT TO 'GO FAST' AS THEY'RE ENTERING APCH AIRSPACE. THIS IS A USELESS TECHNIQUE BECAUSE THE ACFT MUST SLOW DOWN AND START THE DSCNT AND RADAR VECTORS FOR REQUIRED RADAR SPACING FROM APCH TO THE FINAL CTL POS. ZME WILL INSTRUCT JET AND HVY JET ACFT TO 'RESUME NORMAL SPD' JUST AS THEIR RADIO FREQS ARE CHANGED TO MEM APCH CTL. THE HVY JETS WILL SLOW DOWN RAPIDLY ON THEIR OWN; ESPECIALLY ON THE 'SHORT SIDE' OR BASE LEG FEED TO THE FINAL CTLRS. EVERY HVY JET PLT HAS TOLD ME THAT TO SLOW DOWN AND DSND IS VERY DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE. THIS IS THE CASE WITH ACR X HVY DC10/MD11'S. IT IS COMMON FOR ZME TO 'FORCE FEED' MEM APCH SEVERAL JETS IN-TRAIL OF A HVY AND HAVE THE TRAILING JETS GO FAST. BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE STAR TRANSITIONS FEED INTO THE ARR GATES ZME USES 'GO FAST' SPDS KNOWING THAT AS SOON AS THE ACFT CROSSES THE 40 NM 'XFER OF CTL POINT' APCH WILL DSND THE ARR ACFT. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR THE SHORT SIDE/BASE LEG FEED. THIS CAUSES THE USUAL 10 NM JET IN-TRAIL SPACING TO DECREASE TO MINIMUM RADAR SEPARATION. THIS BECOMES EVEN MORE UNSATISFACTORY FOR JET ACFT OPERATING BEHIND A HVY JET. THE STARS SHOULD BE REWORKED TO ESTABLISH 'ONE' IN-TRAIL FEED AS THEY ENTER MEM AIRSPACE/XING THE XFER OF CTL POINT. ZME THINKS NOTHING ABOUT GIVING MEM APCH OF 'CUT OFF' WITH JET ACFT AS THEY ENTER OUR AIRSPACE. ZME CONTINUES TO ONLY SWITCH ACFT FREQS TO MEM AS 'THEY CROSS THE XFER OF CTL POINT.' THIS LACK OF RESPECT AND VIOLATION OF THE FAA HANDBOOK 7110.65 WHICH REQUIRES ACFT TO BE ON THE NEXT FACILITY'S FREQS BEFORE THEY ENTER THE NEXT AIRSPACE ONLY ENSURES TO 'PROTECT' THEMSELVES FROM A POSSIBLE ERROR. ACTION MUST BE TAKEN TO BRING ZME'S POOR JET N-TRAIL SPACING AND TECHNIQUES TO THEIR ATTN. I SENSE THAT ZME MGMNT HAS NO CTL OVER THE ZME CTLRS. DURING THE PERIOD THAT I WORKED THE APCH POS; I HAD TO SLOW AND GIVE AN IMMEDIATE RADAR VECTOR TO MAINTAIN 'MINIMUM' RADAR WAKE TURB SEPARATION. WE'RE HANDED THIS TYPE OF SIT SEVERAL TIMES A DAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.