Narrative:

Air carrier X has directives to their pilots to climb to 3000 ft on departure at reduced airspeed. Upon reaching 3000 ft; the pilot levels off and increases their speed. Once reaching a safe climb speed; the aircraft climbs at half the rate of any turbo powered aircraft in the sky. It is necessary; and has become a standard to give this airline a crossing restriction when they are climbing. Most pilots make the restriction; however; some do not and some do not care or do not advise ATC that they can't make it. One pilot told me that in order to make the crossing restriction that was issued; he would have to fly his aircraft at 180 KTS in the climb. The crossing restrictions are not excessive. Other airlines; who climb at a normal rate of climb; are at the altitudes they need to be at without a crossing restriction. Another pilot with air carrier X has advised us that they climb at reduced power to either save gas or to add the lifespan to the engines. This is unacceptable. It compromises safety when a departure is 20 miles south of the departure airport; struggling out of 7000 ft; getting in the way of the arrs to the same airport. This needs to end.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PCT CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE SAFETY IMPACT OF CLB PROCEDURES UTILIZED AT ONE COMPANY.

Narrative: ACR X HAS DIRECTIVES TO THEIR PLTS TO CLB TO 3000 FT ON DEP AT REDUCED AIRSPD. UPON REACHING 3000 FT; THE PLT LEVELS OFF AND INCREASES THEIR SPD. ONCE REACHING A SAFE CLB SPD; THE ACFT CLBS AT HALF THE RATE OF ANY TURBO POWERED ACFT IN THE SKY. IT IS NECESSARY; AND HAS BECOME A STANDARD TO GIVE THIS AIRLINE A XING RESTRICTION WHEN THEY ARE CLBING. MOST PLTS MAKE THE RESTRICTION; HOWEVER; SOME DO NOT AND SOME DO NOT CARE OR DO NOT ADVISE ATC THAT THEY CAN'T MAKE IT. ONE PLT TOLD ME THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE THE XING RESTRICTION THAT WAS ISSUED; HE WOULD HAVE TO FLY HIS ACFT AT 180 KTS IN THE CLB. THE XING RESTRICTIONS ARE NOT EXCESSIVE. OTHER AIRLINES; WHO CLB AT A NORMAL RATE OF CLB; ARE AT THE ALTS THEY NEED TO BE AT WITHOUT A XING RESTRICTION. ANOTHER PLT WITH ACR X HAS ADVISED US THAT THEY CLB AT REDUCED POWER TO EITHER SAVE GAS OR TO ADD THE LIFESPAN TO THE ENGS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. IT COMPROMISES SAFETY WHEN A DEP IS 20 MILES S OF THE DEP ARPT; STRUGGLING OUT OF 7000 FT; GETTING IN THE WAY OF THE ARRS TO THE SAME ARPT. THIS NEEDS TO END.

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.