Narrative:

Sadly; I am compelled to complete this report as a result of one of the most flagrant displays of controller unprofessionalism I have seen in my 35 yr professional career. While taking off; we were instructed to 'hold short of runway 31R at the triple hangars' -- a routine clearance. Also asked to maintain 500 ft (not routine). We slowed to minimum speed as we approached abeam the triple hangars; carefully remaining centered between the parallels; with the landing airliner in sight on short final to runway 31R. A strong tailwind existed and we had to weigh the effect of turning radius if we attempted to stay perfectly abeam the hangars. Our path took us beyond the abeam point of the hangars -- but I must emphasize still perfectly between the parallels and no conflicts of any kind. At this point the controller commenced the most inappropriately assertive communication I have witnessed -- at best it was unprofessional and bordering on abusive. When the controller's intensity peaked it was becoming a barrier to effective communication for not only us; but other aircraft on the jfk tower frequency. I; after listening as long as I could; told him assertively to 'settle down.' this was out of necessity -- in the name of safety. They asked that we call them on the phone upon landing; which I did. I talked with the supervisor on duty who wanted to only address the point that I corrected his controller. He said he had not listened to the tapes to verify his controller's conduct and was not aware of it; yet was ready to counsel me. As I calmly attempted to describe the events (defend); he interrupted; accused me of being condescending; threatened action; and hung up on me. In closing; there was no conflict of any kind as a result of our passing past the abeam point of the triple hangar that would warrant such an outburst. I think the tower controller was upset we (in his opinion) did not do exactly as he said; and anger got the best of him.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF HELI RPTS ABUSIVE EXCHANGE WITH TWR CTLR AT JFK.

Narrative: SADLY; I AM COMPELLED TO COMPLETE THIS RPT AS A RESULT OF ONE OF THE MOST FLAGRANT DISPLAYS OF CTLR UNPROFESSIONALISM I HAVE SEEN IN MY 35 YR PROFESSIONAL CAREER. WHILE TAKING OFF; WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO 'HOLD SHORT OF RWY 31R AT THE TRIPLE HANGARS' -- A ROUTINE CLRNC. ALSO ASKED TO MAINTAIN 500 FT (NOT ROUTINE). WE SLOWED TO MINIMUM SPD AS WE APCHED ABEAM THE TRIPLE HANGARS; CAREFULLY REMAINING CTRED BTWN THE PARALLELS; WITH THE LNDG AIRLINER IN SIGHT ON SHORT FINAL TO RWY 31R. A STRONG TAILWIND EXISTED AND WE HAD TO WEIGH THE EFFECT OF TURNING RADIUS IF WE ATTEMPTED TO STAY PERFECTLY ABEAM THE HANGARS. OUR PATH TOOK US BEYOND THE ABEAM POINT OF THE HANGARS -- BUT I MUST EMPHASIZE STILL PERFECTLY BTWN THE PARALLELS AND NO CONFLICTS OF ANY KIND. AT THIS POINT THE CTLR COMMENCED THE MOST INAPPROPRIATELY ASSERTIVE COM I HAVE WITNESSED -- AT BEST IT WAS UNPROFESSIONAL AND BORDERING ON ABUSIVE. WHEN THE CTLR'S INTENSITY PEAKED IT WAS BECOMING A BARRIER TO EFFECTIVE COM FOR NOT ONLY US; BUT OTHER ACFT ON THE JFK TWR FREQ. I; AFTER LISTENING AS LONG AS I COULD; TOLD HIM ASSERTIVELY TO 'SETTLE DOWN.' THIS WAS OUT OF NECESSITY -- IN THE NAME OF SAFETY. THEY ASKED THAT WE CALL THEM ON THE PHONE UPON LNDG; WHICH I DID. I TALKED WITH THE SUPVR ON DUTY WHO WANTED TO ONLY ADDRESS THE POINT THAT I CORRECTED HIS CTLR. HE SAID HE HAD NOT LISTENED TO THE TAPES TO VERIFY HIS CTLR'S CONDUCT AND WAS NOT AWARE OF IT; YET WAS READY TO COUNSEL ME. AS I CALMLY ATTEMPTED TO DESCRIBE THE EVENTS (DEFEND); HE INTERRUPTED; ACCUSED ME OF BEING CONDESCENDING; THREATENED ACTION; AND HUNG UP ON ME. IN CLOSING; THERE WAS NO CONFLICT OF ANY KIND AS A RESULT OF OUR PASSING PAST THE ABEAM POINT OF THE TRIPLE HANGAR THAT WOULD WARRANT SUCH AN OUTBURST. I THINK THE TWR CTLR WAS UPSET WE (IN HIS OPINION) DID NOT DO EXACTLY AS HE SAID; AND ANGER GOT THE BEST OF HIM.

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.