A80 controller described dispute with supervisor orders to vector aircraft for visual approach durin...

Attributes
ACN	732719
Time
Date	200703
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a80.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft Low Wing 1 Eng Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 23
ASRS Report	732719
Person 2
Function	controller : supervisor
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather FAA ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I was working the north final (V) at A80. Simultaneous ILS/prm approachs in use to runways 8L/9R and 10. All the finals were full and quite busy. WX was marginal (extremely hazy). Aircraft were not seeing the airport until the FAF. An SR22 was being handed off from our satellite X position. Supervisor advised me to vector the aircraft for a visual approach. I explained the situation to the supervisor and said visuals are not working and I will vector the aircraft for an ILS/prm 8L. Supervisor asked how I knew that a visual approach wouldn't work for the aircraft. I explained that I had been working approach all day (hour 7 of an 8 hour shift); and visuals just weren't working today due to the haze. Supervisor then ordered me to vector the aircraft close to the airport for a visual. I advised supervisor that unless he was willing to provide me with vectors and be responsible for the separation; that I didn't want to do something I considered unsafe. Supervisor had me relieved from the position during a busy time; which created an unnecessary distraction. Supervisor then intimidated the next controller into running the aircraft in close to the airport for a visual. The final controller had to run the aircraft parallel to his final and wait until he was only 5 or 6 mi from the airport before he saw his traffic. The aircraft ended up landing less than 2 mi behind his large traffic. Although no operational error occurred; this operation was unsafe. The SR22's are capable of maintaining 150 KTS or so on final and do not require excessive spacing behind them if the subsequent aircraft are slowed to 160 KTS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A80 CTLR DESCRIBED DISPUTE WITH SUPVR ORDERS TO VECTOR ACFT FOR VISUAL APCH DURING QUESTIONABLE VISIBILITY. CTLR RELIEVED FROM POSITION.

Narrative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

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.

A80 controller described dispute with supervisor orders to vector aircraft for visual approach during questionable visibility. Controller relieved from position.