Narrative:

In 2004; the FAA split atl tower into 2 separate facilities -- atl ATCT and A80 TRACON. During the time atl was a combined facility; the facility applied visual separation on departures by instructing an aircraft to maintain visual separation from the preceding departure and cleared the aircraft for takeoff. The aircraft were then switched to departure and appropriate coordination was accomplished with the departure controller to advise that visual separation was being applied by the pilots. Now; the facilities have been split into 2 separate facilities. Controllers no longer rotate between thee tower and the TRACON. However; the procedure continues to be applied in the same manner. My concern is that the 7110.65; paragraph 7-2-1A specifically states that this kind of visual separation may only be 'applied between aircraft under the control of the same facility....' I believe that atl/A80 are applying this procedure illegally! Additionally; there have been several operrors involving visual separation; or lack thereof; since the facilities have been split and since the advent of RNAV SID's. The situation has resulted in a reduction of safety!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A80 CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING VISUAL SEPARATION APPLICATIONS AS USED BY A80 AND ATL TWR.

Narrative: IN 2004; THE FAA SPLIT ATL TWR INTO 2 SEPARATE FACILITIES -- ATL ATCT AND A80 TRACON. DURING THE TIME ATL WAS A COMBINED FACILITY; THE FACILITY APPLIED VISUAL SEPARATION ON DEPS BY INSTRUCTING AN ACFT TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM THE PRECEDING DEP AND CLRED THE ACFT FOR TKOF. THE ACFT WERE THEN SWITCHED TO DEP AND APPROPRIATE COORD WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE DEP CTLR TO ADVISE THAT VISUAL SEPARATION WAS BEING APPLIED BY THE PLTS. NOW; THE FACILITIES HAVE BEEN SPLIT INTO 2 SEPARATE FACILITIES. CTLRS NO LONGER ROTATE BTWN THEE TWR AND THE TRACON. HOWEVER; THE PROC CONTINUES TO BE APPLIED IN THE SAME MANNER. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE 7110.65; PARAGRAPH 7-2-1A SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS KIND OF VISUAL SEPARATION MAY ONLY BE 'APPLIED BTWN ACFT UNDER THE CTL OF THE SAME FACILITY....' I BELIEVE THAT ATL/A80 ARE APPLYING THIS PROC ILLEGALLY! ADDITIONALLY; THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OPERRORS INVOLVING VISUAL SEPARATION; OR LACK THEREOF; SINCE THE FACILITIES HAVE BEEN SPLIT AND SINCE THE ADVENT OF RNAV SID'S. THE SITUATION HAS RESULTED IN A REDUCTION OF SAFETY!

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.