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 the 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! Supplemental information from acn 691987: several controllers have asked management to give a definitive answer on where or when visual separation ends between 2 departures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A80 CTLRS BELIEVE VISUAL SEPARATION PROVIDED BY ATCT IS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH 7110 PT 65 SINCE FACILITIES WERE SPLIT.

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 THE 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! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 691987: SEVERAL CTLRS HAVE ASKED MGMNT TO GIVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER ON WHERE OR WHEN VISUAL SEPARATION ENDS BTWN 2 DEPS.

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.