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Tpa controller voiced concern regarding increased frequency of pilot's failing to use heavy when required during communication.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 734878 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200704 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : tpa.tracon |
| State Reference | FL |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 7 controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 12 controller time certified in position1 : 3 |
| ASRS Report | 734878 |
| Events | |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Rather than a specific occurrence; this report addresses an ongoing issue that is becoming more prevalent. Pilots of heavy aircraft are not using/refusing to use the word 'heavy' in their call signs when communicating with ATC. I've noticed this becoming more and more common as of late. The most common offenders of this in tpa airspace are the KC135 pilots based at macdill AFB (mcf). In over 90% of ATC communications with them; they have failed to use the word heavy in their call sign. Another chronic offender are the air carrier X pilots. We have regularly scheduled B767 flts in/out of tpa; and more often than not; the pilots will not use the word heavy. In both cases; when we; as ATC; stress the word heavy in ATC communications with these pilots; the attitude we receive from them is one of dismissal or outright indignance. I believe that the requirement of the word heavy is required for a reason: it calls specific attention to all pilots on the frequency that a heavy aircraft is operating in nearby airspace. This comes into play especially at tpa given the sectorization of our airspace and the multitude of VFR GA aircraft operating in close proximity to the final approach courses of both mcf and tpa. This is most definitely a safety issue and the trend is definitely rising.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: TPA CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING INCREASED FREQUENCY OF PLT'S FAILING TO USE HEAVY WHEN REQUIRED DURING COM.
Narrative: RATHER THAN A SPECIFIC OCCURRENCE; THIS RPT ADDRESSES AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT IS BECOMING MORE PREVALENT. PLTS OF HVY ACFT ARE NOT USING/REFUSING TO USE THE WORD 'HVY' IN THEIR CALL SIGNS WHEN COMMUNICATING WITH ATC. I'VE NOTICED THIS BECOMING MORE AND MORE COMMON AS OF LATE. THE MOST COMMON OFFENDERS OF THIS IN TPA AIRSPACE ARE THE KC135 PLTS BASED AT MACDILL AFB (MCF). IN OVER 90% OF ATC COMS WITH THEM; THEY HAVE FAILED TO USE THE WORD HVY IN THEIR CALL SIGN. ANOTHER CHRONIC OFFENDER ARE THE ACR X PLTS. WE HAVE REGULARLY SCHEDULED B767 FLTS IN/OUT OF TPA; AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT; THE PLTS WILL NOT USE THE WORD HVY. IN BOTH CASES; WHEN WE; AS ATC; STRESS THE WORD HVY IN ATC COMS WITH THESE PLTS; THE ATTITUDE WE RECEIVE FROM THEM IS ONE OF DISMISSAL OR OUTRIGHT INDIGNANCE. I BELIEVE THAT THE REQUIREMENT OF THE WORD HVY IS REQUIRED FOR A REASON: IT CALLS SPECIFIC ATTN TO ALL PLTS ON THE FREQ THAT A HVY ACFT IS OPERATING IN NEARBY AIRSPACE. THIS COMES INTO PLAY ESPECIALLY AT TPA GIVEN THE SECTORIZATION OF OUR AIRSPACE AND THE MULTITUDE OF VFR GA ACFT OPERATING IN CLOSE PROX TO THE FINAL APCH COURSES OF BOTH MCF AND TPA. THIS IS MOST DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE TREND IS DEFINITELY RISING.
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.