Narrative:

While working the arrival west (arw) sector today; the mem cabin attendant coordinator called my sector and requested release on a jet off of runway 27. Mem was in a south confign; departing runways 18L and 18R; landing runway 18C. Runway 27 had been 'released to ground control' for the air carrier outbound. When runway 27 is released to ground control for crossing all aircraft from the air carrier area; a message is displayed in the stars message area. This message was displayed at the time of the request. I questioned the supervisor about the use of runway 27; and was told that we would use it for departing an aircraft just this one time. The ATIS was never changed to reflect runway 27 as a departure runway; and 'runway 27 released to ground control' was never taken out of the stars message area. We have 'strict' requirements regarding the use of runway 27 at mem; however mem management refuses to put any of these requirements or stipulations into writing; and none of these requirements exist in the form of an official FAA order or local procedure that is contained within our training order. We have been informed that we will face discipline for not complying with the unwritten rules regarding the use of runway 27. Controllers are not allowed to use runway 27 when we see that it would be beneficial to the operation. Controllers are discouraged from not using runway 27 during the air carrier inbound because it 'saves air carrier money.' controllers are not allowed to vector jets from the 'high side downwind' to runway 27 -- yet the supervisors and operations mgrs make these decisions on a daily basis. The unwritten rules regarding the use/non-use of runway 27 change from day to day; and are broken from day to day. We never know what to expect. I would like to see mem FAA management put the runway 27 procedure for use/non-use in writing. This would make it official; allow the users to know exactly what to expect and why; and would make expectations loud and clear for the controllers who are forced to work this operation on a daily basis.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING MGMNT'S RELUCTANCE TO FORMALIZE IN WRITING RWY 27 PRACTICES THAT ARE FREQUENTLY CHANGED BY SUPVR.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING THE ARR W (ARW) SECTOR TODAY; THE MEM CAB COORDINATOR CALLED MY SECTOR AND REQUESTED RELEASE ON A JET OFF OF RWY 27. MEM WAS IN A S CONFIGN; DEPARTING RWYS 18L AND 18R; LNDG RWY 18C. RWY 27 HAD BEEN 'RELEASED TO GND CTL' FOR THE ACR OUTBOUND. WHEN RWY 27 IS RELEASED TO GND CTL FOR XING ALL ACFT FROM THE ACR AREA; A MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED IN THE STARS MESSAGE AREA. THIS MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED AT THE TIME OF THE REQUEST. I QUESTIONED THE SUPVR ABOUT THE USE OF RWY 27; AND WAS TOLD THAT WE WOULD USE IT FOR DEPARTING AN ACFT JUST THIS ONE TIME. THE ATIS WAS NEVER CHANGED TO REFLECT RWY 27 AS A DEP RWY; AND 'RWY 27 RELEASED TO GND CTL' WAS NEVER TAKEN OUT OF THE STARS MESSAGE AREA. WE HAVE 'STRICT' REQUIREMENTS REGARDING THE USE OF RWY 27 AT MEM; HOWEVER MEM MGMNT REFUSES TO PUT ANY OF THESE REQUIREMENTS OR STIPULATIONS INTO WRITING; AND NONE OF THESE REQUIREMENTS EXIST IN THE FORM OF AN OFFICIAL FAA ORDER OR LCL PROC THAT IS CONTAINED WITHIN OUR TRAINING ORDER. WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT WE WILL FACE DISCIPLINE FOR NOT COMPLYING WITH THE UNWRITTEN RULES REGARDING THE USE OF RWY 27. CTLRS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE RWY 27 WHEN WE SEE THAT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE OP. CTLRS ARE DISCOURAGED FROM NOT USING RWY 27 DURING THE ACR INBOUND BECAUSE IT 'SAVES ACR MONEY.' CTLRS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO VECTOR JETS FROM THE 'HIGH SIDE DOWNWIND' TO RWY 27 -- YET THE SUPVRS AND OPS MGRS MAKE THESE DECISIONS ON A DAILY BASIS. THE UNWRITTEN RULES REGARDING THE USE/NON-USE OF RWY 27 CHANGE FROM DAY TO DAY; AND ARE BROKEN FROM DAY TO DAY. WE NEVER KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MEM FAA MGMNT PUT THE RWY 27 PROC FOR USE/NON-USE IN WRITING. THIS WOULD MAKE IT OFFICIAL; ALLOW THE USERS TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT AND WHY; AND WOULD MAKE EXPECTATIONS LOUD AND CLR FOR THE CTLRS WHO ARE FORCED TO WORK THIS OP ON A DAILY BASIS.

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.