Narrative:

At atl we have what is called a 'departure split.' this split determines which departures come off which runway; ie; north and west departures off of runway 8R and south and east departures off of runway 9L. Since runway 10/28 opened in may of 2006; even though there were no procedures developed prior to its opening to use it as a departure runway; we have been running a 'triple departure' split at certain times of the day. This is generally a fiasco; which in my opinion only delays aircraft more than it expedites them; but that is another story. On this particular day; there was a large area of level 3 and higher precipitation approaching the airport from the southeast. The supervisor in the tower advised his intention to begin departing all 3 runways (8R; 9L and 10) in about 15 mins. East and south departures would be coming off runway 9L and west departures would be coming off runway 10. I; and other controllers; told the approach supervisors that this should not be allowed to happen. If we stayed on 2 runways (8R and 9L) the east departures could come off runway 9L straight out and stay north of the WX and the south departures could come off on a 180 degree heading and stay west of the WX. If there were west departures coming off runway 10; the south departures would also have to go straight out; meaning they would have to fly 25 mi or so east before they could turn south because of the level 3 and 4 WX southeast of the atl airport. Despite controller objections; this departure split occurred and resulted in just what we warned would happen. South departures were having to fly 25 or more mi east to get around the WX; they were not able to climb because they were having to cross the arrival area twice; and it quickly turned into an unsafe mess. I then suggested that if they were going to insist that we do this operation; give the south departures off of runway 9L the frequency of the runway 10 controller; which would allow him to turn them south prior to the WX if he didn't have traffic. I was told 'we don't do it that way.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A80 CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING A TWR SUPVR'S DECISION TO DEP THREE RWYS; RESULTING IN DELAYED TURNS AND OPERATIONAL CONFUSION.

Narrative: AT ATL WE HAVE WHAT IS CALLED A 'DEP SPLIT.' THIS SPLIT DETERMINES WHICH DEPS COME OFF WHICH RWY; IE; N AND W DEPS OFF OF RWY 8R AND S AND E DEPS OFF OF RWY 9L. SINCE RWY 10/28 OPENED IN MAY OF 2006; EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE NO PROCS DEVELOPED PRIOR TO ITS OPENING TO USE IT AS A DEP RWY; WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING A 'TRIPLE DEP' SPLIT AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY. THIS IS GENERALLY A FIASCO; WHICH IN MY OPINION ONLY DELAYS ACFT MORE THAN IT EXPEDITES THEM; BUT THAT IS ANOTHER STORY. ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY; THERE WAS A LARGE AREA OF LEVEL 3 AND HIGHER PRECIP APCHING THE ARPT FROM THE SE. THE SUPVR IN THE TWR ADVISED HIS INTENTION TO BEGIN DEPARTING ALL 3 RWYS (8R; 9L AND 10) IN ABOUT 15 MINS. E AND S DEPS WOULD BE COMING OFF RWY 9L AND W DEPS WOULD BE COMING OFF RWY 10. I; AND OTHER CTLRS; TOLD THE APCH SUPVRS THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN. IF WE STAYED ON 2 RWYS (8R AND 9L) THE E DEPS COULD COME OFF RWY 9L STRAIGHT OUT AND STAY N OF THE WX AND THE S DEPS COULD COME OFF ON A 180 DEG HDG AND STAY W OF THE WX. IF THERE WERE W DEPS COMING OFF RWY 10; THE S DEPS WOULD ALSO HAVE TO GO STRAIGHT OUT; MEANING THEY WOULD HAVE TO FLY 25 MI OR SO E BEFORE THEY COULD TURN S BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL 3 AND 4 WX SE OF THE ATL ARPT. DESPITE CTLR OBJECTIONS; THIS DEP SPLIT OCCURRED AND RESULTED IN JUST WHAT WE WARNED WOULD HAPPEN. S DEPS WERE HAVING TO FLY 25 OR MORE MI E TO GET AROUND THE WX; THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO CLB BECAUSE THEY WERE HAVING TO CROSS THE ARR AREA TWICE; AND IT QUICKLY TURNED INTO AN UNSAFE MESS. I THEN SUGGESTED THAT IF THEY WERE GOING TO INSIST THAT WE DO THIS OP; GIVE THE S DEPS OFF OF RWY 9L THE FREQ OF THE RWY 10 CTLR; WHICH WOULD ALLOW HIM TO TURN THEM S PRIOR TO THE WX IF HE DIDN'T HAVE TFC. I WAS TOLD 'WE DON'T DO IT THAT 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.