Narrative:

This report regards a known tailwind on the ILS runway 4R/4L approachs at jfk airport. We were started off on ILS runway 22L/right; as the winds were out of the south. No problems. The stmc (traffic management supervisor) came down to the jfk sector around XA30 and said we had to immediately change to ILS runway 4R/4L. The WX was IMC; and surface winds were still out of the south. Apparently; lga needed to depart runway 13; which required the belmont airspace which we were using to conduct ILS runway 22L/22R approachs. Furthermore; traffic management wanted us to have 2 departure runways; and felt that departing runway 4L; and runway 31L would be good. After we changed to ILS runway 4R/4L; numerous pilots complained about the tailwind on the approach. At 1500 ft (the altitude they need to cross the FAF at); the winds were 200 degrees at 50 KTS -- a 50 KT tailwind! Later on in the evening; pilots were reporting a 50 KT tailwind still at 300 ft. During the 3 hour unsafe operation; 4 aircraft conducted missed approachs because of the tailwind and unstable approach they were forced to conduct. Each time there is a missed approach off runway 4R; it conflicts with the runway 4L departure; which is another unsafe story in itself and a midair waiting to happen.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: N90 CTLR DESCRIBED TAILWIND LNDG EVENTS ALLEGING PROC WAS UNSAFE AND USED TO LIMIT DEP DELAYS.

Narrative: THIS RPT REGARDS A KNOWN TAILWIND ON THE ILS RWY 4R/4L APCHS AT JFK ARPT. WE WERE STARTED OFF ON ILS RWY 22L/R; AS THE WINDS WERE OUT OF THE S. NO PROBS. THE STMC (TFC MGMNT SUPVR) CAME DOWN TO THE JFK SECTOR AROUND XA30 AND SAID WE HAD TO IMMEDIATELY CHANGE TO ILS RWY 4R/4L. THE WX WAS IMC; AND SURFACE WINDS WERE STILL OUT OF THE S. APPARENTLY; LGA NEEDED TO DEPART RWY 13; WHICH REQUIRED THE BELMONT AIRSPACE WHICH WE WERE USING TO CONDUCT ILS RWY 22L/22R APCHS. FURTHERMORE; TFC MGMNT WANTED US TO HAVE 2 DEP RWYS; AND FELT THAT DEPARTING RWY 4L; AND RWY 31L WOULD BE GOOD. AFTER WE CHANGED TO ILS RWY 4R/4L; NUMEROUS PLTS COMPLAINED ABOUT THE TAILWIND ON THE APCH. AT 1500 FT (THE ALT THEY NEED TO CROSS THE FAF AT); THE WINDS WERE 200 DEGS AT 50 KTS -- A 50 KT TAILWIND! LATER ON IN THE EVENING; PLTS WERE RPTING A 50 KT TAILWIND STILL AT 300 FT. DURING THE 3 HR UNSAFE OP; 4 ACFT CONDUCTED MISSED APCHS BECAUSE OF THE TAILWIND AND UNSTABLE APCH THEY WERE FORCED TO CONDUCT. EACH TIME THERE IS A MISSED APCH OFF RWY 4R; IT CONFLICTS WITH THE RWY 4L DEP; WHICH IS ANOTHER UNSAFE STORY IN ITSELF AND A MIDAIR WAITING TO HAPPEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.