C90 controller expressed concern regarding local traffic management arrival flow procedures and new ...

Narrative:

On dec/thu/06; at the weekly controller team briefing; controllers were told that we would no longer be allowed place mi in trail restrs on the ARTCC. This tool happens to be a very important and effective tool that helps controllers manage arrival traffic into ord and mdw. All we would be allowed to do is issue speed restrs and place fixes in the hold. As a rule; we slow fixes from 300 KTS to 250 KTS; then 250 KTS to 210 KTS; then add mi in trail restrs; then when necessary and as a last resort; hold fixes. You would think this makes sense. Unfortunately for the user; there are people in high places; who don't wear headsets; that think differently. At XA45 I was assigned the east arrival handoff position. I noticed that the runway 22R final was collapsing; forcing the arrival controller to run at least 5 mi on final to end up with no less than 2.5 mi at touchdown. When a heavy or B757 was thrown into the mix; we had to run a minimum of 7-8 mi on the final. I immediately advised the supervisor that we would need to have the arrival fixes at least 10 mi in trail at 210 KTS. Anything less would force us to hold fixes. I used to be able to work with the controller at the center and keep fixes from holding. Now I have to advise the TRACON supervisor; who must then advise the TRACON tmu; who must then advise the center tmu; who must then do I don't know what; who must then advise the center tmu; who must then advise the TRACON tmu; who must then advise the TRACON supervisor; who must then let me know if I am allowed to issue the mi in trail restr or just go into the hold. In the meantime; airplanes are eating up the mi toward ord; and all we can do is watch. I ended up putting mke and farmm in the hold at XB50. Ord was landing runway 22R and runway 27L. The wind was 220 degrees at 16 KTS. Ord should have been on runway 14R/22R/22L. This would have given us enough concrete to keep the user from holding; to keep the user out of delays and to save the user money. Solution: 1) give us back all our tools and let us do our job. You leave us alone and we will get it done and we will be efficient. 2) have ord tower learn how to work all runway configns; so that we can better serve the user. 3) keep the people in high places; who don't wear headsets; out of our way.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C90 CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING LCL TFC MGMNT ARR FLOW PROCS AND NEW RESTRS PROHIBITING CTLRS TO INITIATE MI IN TRAIL.

Narrative: ON DEC/THU/06; AT THE WKLY CTLR TEAM BRIEFING; CTLRS WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD NO LONGER BE ALLOWED PLACE MI IN TRAIL RESTRS ON THE ARTCC. THIS TOOL HAPPENS TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT AND EFFECTIVE TOOL THAT HELPS CTLRS MANAGE ARR TFC INTO ORD AND MDW. ALL WE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO IS ISSUE SPD RESTRS AND PLACE FIXES IN THE HOLD. AS A RULE; WE SLOW FIXES FROM 300 KTS TO 250 KTS; THEN 250 KTS TO 210 KTS; THEN ADD MI IN TRAIL RESTRS; THEN WHEN NECESSARY AND AS A LAST RESORT; HOLD FIXES. YOU WOULD THINK THIS MAKES SENSE. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE USER; THERE ARE PEOPLE IN HIGH PLACES; WHO DON'T WEAR HEADSETS; THAT THINK DIFFERENTLY. AT XA45 I WAS ASSIGNED THE E ARR HDOF POS. I NOTICED THAT THE RWY 22R FINAL WAS COLLAPSING; FORCING THE ARR CTLR TO RUN AT LEAST 5 MI ON FINAL TO END UP WITH NO LESS THAN 2.5 MI AT TOUCHDOWN. WHEN A HVY OR B757 WAS THROWN INTO THE MIX; WE HAD TO RUN A MINIMUM OF 7-8 MI ON THE FINAL. I IMMEDIATELY ADVISED THE SUPVR THAT WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE ARR FIXES AT LEAST 10 MI IN TRAIL AT 210 KTS. ANYTHING LESS WOULD FORCE US TO HOLD FIXES. I USED TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE CTLR AT THE CTR AND KEEP FIXES FROM HOLDING. NOW I HAVE TO ADVISE THE TRACON SUPVR; WHO MUST THEN ADVISE THE TRACON TMU; WHO MUST THEN ADVISE THE CTR TMU; WHO MUST THEN DO I DON'T KNOW WHAT; WHO MUST THEN ADVISE THE CTR TMU; WHO MUST THEN ADVISE THE TRACON TMU; WHO MUST THEN ADVISE THE TRACON SUPVR; WHO MUST THEN LET ME KNOW IF I AM ALLOWED TO ISSUE THE MI IN TRAIL RESTR OR JUST GO INTO THE HOLD. IN THE MEANTIME; AIRPLANES ARE EATING UP THE MI TOWARD ORD; AND ALL WE CAN DO IS WATCH. I ENDED UP PUTTING MKE AND FARMM IN THE HOLD AT XB50. ORD WAS LNDG RWY 22R AND RWY 27L. THE WIND WAS 220 DEGS AT 16 KTS. ORD SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON RWY 14R/22R/22L. THIS WOULD HAVE GIVEN US ENOUGH CONCRETE TO KEEP THE USER FROM HOLDING; TO KEEP THE USER OUT OF DELAYS AND TO SAVE THE USER MONEY. SOLUTION: 1) GIVE US BACK ALL OUR TOOLS AND LET US DO OUR JOB. YOU LEAVE US ALONE AND WE WILL GET IT DONE AND WE WILL BE EFFICIENT. 2) HAVE ORD TWR LEARN HOW TO WORK ALL RWY CONFIGNS; SO THAT WE CAN BETTER SERVE THE USER. 3) KEEP THE PEOPLE IN HIGH PLACES; WHO DON'T WEAR HEADSETS; OUT OF OUR WAY.

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.

Attributes
ACN	719501
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : c90.tracon
State Reference	IL
Environment
Light	Dawn
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar controller : approach controller : handoff position
Qualification	controller : military controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 3 controller radar : 22 controller time certified in position1 : 9
ASRS Report	719501
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : c90.tracon

C90 controller expressed concern regarding local traffic management arrival flow procedures and new restrs prohibiting controllers to initiate mi in trail.