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ZTL controller chronicles difficulty in issuing IFR clrncs from avl before tower opens and traffic workload on the utilized frequency.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 660725 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200506 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ztl.artcc |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 23 |
| ASRS Report | 660725 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : avl.tower staffing : avl.tower |
Narrative:
Avl approach does not open until XA30. Multiple air carrier's start calling for clearance right around XA00 on the sector frequency. Clt now has an arrival 'push' that starts at the same time. On the same frequency. Controllers are faced with trying to issue departure clrncs at the same time we're trying to run in trail at a major hub -- on the same frequency. The frequency coverage at avl is spotty. Aircraft on the ground constantly block xmissions from the center to clt arrs; jamming the frequency as we're trying to separate the arrs. I've made numerous attempts to get avl approach opened earlier over the yrs; without success. The center running avl approach; in and of itself; is a major safety concern. Now this situation is having a negative effect on the operation at clt as aircraft on the ground block time critical clrncs for aircraft descending into clt. Airline pilots seem incapable of contacting FSS to request a clearance (off the frequency). During this event; I had an air carrier depart tri (same situation; tower is closed) VFR and request his clearance after he was airborne. The towers need to open earlier or pilots need to contact FSS for departure clrncs.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZTL CTLR CHRONICLES DIFFICULTY IN ISSUING IFR CLRNCS FROM AVL BEFORE TWR OPENS AND TFC WORKLOAD ON THE UTILIZED FREQ.
Narrative: AVL APCH DOES NOT OPEN UNTIL XA30. MULTIPLE ACR'S START CALLING FOR CLRNC RIGHT AROUND XA00 ON THE SECTOR FREQ. CLT NOW HAS AN ARR 'PUSH' THAT STARTS AT THE SAME TIME. ON THE SAME FREQ. CTLRS ARE FACED WITH TRYING TO ISSUE DEP CLRNCS AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE TRYING TO RUN IN TRAIL AT A MAJOR HUB -- ON THE SAME FREQ. THE FREQ COVERAGE AT AVL IS SPOTTY. ACFT ON THE GND CONSTANTLY BLOCK XMISSIONS FROM THE CTR TO CLT ARRS; JAMMING THE FREQ AS WE'RE TRYING TO SEPARATE THE ARRS. I'VE MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO GET AVL APCH OPENED EARLIER OVER THE YRS; WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE CTR RUNNING AVL APCH; IN AND OF ITSELF; IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. NOW THIS SIT IS HAVING A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE OP AT CLT AS ACFT ON THE GND BLOCK TIME CRITICAL CLRNCS FOR ACFT DSNDING INTO CLT. AIRLINE PLTS SEEM INCAPABLE OF CONTACTING FSS TO REQUEST A CLRNC (OFF THE FREQ). DURING THIS EVENT; I HAD AN ACR DEPART TRI (SAME SIT; TWR IS CLOSED) VFR AND REQUEST HIS CLRNC AFTER HE WAS AIRBORNE. THE TWRS NEED TO OPEN EARLIER OR PLTS NEED TO CONTACT FSS FOR DEP CLRNCS.
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.