Narrative:

The WX and visibility are the best I can remember. There was a thunderstorm off the departure end of the runway. The pilot of a regional jet asked for position and hold to look at the WX prior to takeoff. Because of FAA policy; I as forced to deny this request. The airplane departed without taking a look at the WX on his radar. I understand there have been problems with position and hold. But; I am not aware of any problems at gsp since the airport opened over 40 yrs ago. There a ways to deal with the tiph situation without decreasing both safety and efficiency. The best way would have been to not allow descent below a certain altitude AGL without landing clearance and to not allow controllers to clear an aircraft to land with another in position. Additional procedures would be needed for facilities that have had problems. Being forced to deny a safety related request for no reason while an airplane departs without the best understand first officer the WX made today the low point of my FAA career.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GSP CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE NEW FAA TIPH POLICY AND THE LIMITATIONS IT PLACES ON COMMON FLT CREW REQUESTS AS DESCRIBED.

Narrative: THE WX AND VISIBILITY ARE THE BEST I CAN REMEMBER. THERE WAS A TSTM OFF THE DEP END OF THE RWY. THE PLT OF A REGIONAL JET ASKED FOR POSITION AND HOLD TO LOOK AT THE WX PRIOR TO TKOF. BECAUSE OF FAA POLICY; I AS FORCED TO DENY THIS REQUEST. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED WITHOUT TAKING A LOOK AT THE WX ON HIS RADAR. I UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE BEEN PROBS WITH POSITION AND HOLD. BUT; I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBS AT GSP SINCE THE ARPT OPENED OVER 40 YRS AGO. THERE A WAYS TO DEAL WITH THE TIPH SITUATION WITHOUT DECREASING BOTH SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY. THE BEST WAY WOULD HAVE BEEN TO NOT ALLOW DSCNT BELOW A CERTAIN ALT AGL WITHOUT LNDG CLRNC AND TO NOT ALLOW CTLRS TO CLEAR AN ACFT TO LAND WITH ANOTHER IN POSITION. ADDITIONAL PROCS WOULD BE NEEDED FOR FACILITIES THAT HAVE HAD PROBS. BEING FORCED TO DENY A SAFETY RELATED REQUEST FOR NO REASON WHILE AN AIRPLANE DEPARTS WITHOUT THE BEST UNDERSTAND FO THE WX MADE TODAY THE LOW POINT OF MY FAA CAREER.

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.