Narrative:

On jun/xa/08 houston ARTCC management changed the crossing restr on the stros arrival (southeast 'corner-post') into houston TRACON (I90). The restr was changed from crossing stros at 10000 ft to crossing stros at 9000 ft when iah airport is landing to the west. This creates a dangerous situation. As controllers well know; when an aircraft descends from above 10000 ft to below 10000 ft; they must: first level off at 10000 ft; slow the aircraft to 250 KIAS; and then continue descent. This creates a serious compression situation with the aircraft behind in the sequence. The aircraft behind are still a lot faster and then begin to quickly catch up the aircraft in front. This creates a high potential for operational errors or worse.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZHU CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING NEW STAR CROSSING ALT ALLEGING RESULTING COMPRESSION CREATES HIGH POTENTIAL FOR OPERRORS.

Narrative: ON JUN/XA/08 HOUSTON ARTCC MGMNT CHANGED THE XING RESTR ON THE STROS ARR (SE 'CORNER-POST') INTO HOUSTON TRACON (I90). THE RESTR WAS CHANGED FROM XING STROS AT 10000 FT TO XING STROS AT 9000 FT WHEN IAH ARPT IS LNDG TO THE W. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION. AS CTLRS WELL KNOW; WHEN AN ACFT DSNDS FROM ABOVE 10000 FT TO BELOW 10000 FT; THEY MUST: FIRST LEVEL OFF AT 10000 FT; SLOW THE ACFT TO 250 KIAS; AND THEN CONTINUE DSCNT. THIS CREATES A SERIOUS COMPRESSION SITUATION WITH THE ACFT BEHIND IN THE SEQUENCE. THE ACFT BEHIND ARE STILL A LOT FASTER AND THEN BEGIN TO QUICKLY CATCH UP THE ACFT IN FRONT. THIS CREATES A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR OPERATIONAL ERRORS OR WORSE.

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.