Narrative:

After landing; I was handed off to the ground controller. I contacted him and he directed me to cross taxiway Z and taxi to the FBO via the 'inside ramp.' I have not been given that instruction before; but after crossing taxiway Z; I saw there was ample ramp area adjacent to the taxiway for me to maneuver while remaining on the right side of the dashed double yellow lines delineating the ramp area. I turned left and taxied; in the ramp area; towards taxiway east. As I approached taxiway east; I saw an airplane coming the opposite direction on taxiway Z. I did not think much of this; as I remained entirely in the ramp area and did not affect the other airplane. Further; I completed most of my flight training at an airport where it was common to pass opposite traffic in close proximity while on the same taxiway. As I slowed to the speed of a slow walk to pass; the other aircraft called ground and inquired bout my position. Ground advised I did not have permission to be on taxiway Z; to which I replied I was not on taxiway Z. The other aircraft confirmed I was within the ramp area. The controller failed to provide any direction and said that he did not have a view of our location at night. (There is no evidence of a non visible area marked on the ground or in NOTAMS.) after about 30 seconds of silence; the other aircraft offered to do a 180 degree turn and taxi on the inside ramp. When I watched the other aircraft maneuver; I became aware of the section of ramp which was being referred to as the 'inside ramp.' I still don't understand why the other aircraft didn't simply continue on taxiway Z; since he agreed I was clear; but the 180 degree turn was his prerogative. After another silence of about 30 seconds; I queried the controller with my call sign. He acted as if he was not involved in the situation; which is when I specifically asked how I may proceed to the FBO. He advised I was 'on my own' or something similar; and that I was still not authority/authorized to use taxiway Z. (Though there was no other traffic which would have prevented me from using taxiway Z.) in the end; I continued to taxi within the ramp area to my destination. I now realize that I did not taxi via the intended route; though at the time I had no reason to believe I was incorrect. I believed the instruction to be 'to taxi within the ramp area; to parking.' at all times I was clear of taxiway Z as directed (after crossing it; of course). I was working under an assumption that the ground controller was able to monitor my progress and would have contacted me if I was in the wrong area. I feel I properly briefed the flight; yet found no indication that a portion of a main taxiway was a non visible area. My greatest concern is with the ground controller's behavior. Unfortunately; this is not the first time I've worked with a reid hillview controller who was discourteous and unhelpful. That the controller failed to provide any direction and disregarded the perceived conflict is embarrassing. We all know that pilots and controllers must work together as a team and the condescending and hostile attitude exhibited tonight creates an uncomfortable and unproductive working environment. In the worse case; this and similar attitudes may lead to compromised safety. In a situation similar to this one; I hope the controller would take the time to evaluate the situation and help provide a resolution. If there is blame to be placed; that can be done after the fact as necessary; but I am very concerned that this controller was rude and discourteous while dealing with a situation in an active airport environment. Reid hillview controllers should receive training in conducting themselves in a courteous; professional; and helpful manner (as most controllers manage to do). Further; the ATC non visible area of rhv airport should be idented in NOTAMS and with ground signage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 LNDG RHV DESCRIBED CONFUSED TAXI EVENT CITING LACK OF CTLR PROFESSIONALISM AND SIGNAGE ISSUES AS CONTRIBUTORY.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG; I WAS HANDED OFF TO THE GND CTLR. I CONTACTED HIM AND HE DIRECTED ME TO CROSS TXWY Z AND TAXI TO THE FBO VIA THE 'INSIDE RAMP.' I HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN THAT INSTRUCTION BEFORE; BUT AFTER XING TXWY Z; I SAW THERE WAS AMPLE RAMP AREA ADJACENT TO THE TXWY FOR ME TO MANEUVER WHILE REMAINING ON THE R SIDE OF THE DASHED DOUBLE YELLOW LINES DELINEATING THE RAMP AREA. I TURNED L AND TAXIED; IN THE RAMP AREA; TOWARDS TXWY E. AS I APCHED TXWY E; I SAW AN AIRPLANE COMING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON TXWY Z. I DID NOT THINK MUCH OF THIS; AS I REMAINED ENTIRELY IN THE RAMP AREA AND DID NOT AFFECT THE OTHER AIRPLANE. FURTHER; I COMPLETED MOST OF MY FLT TRAINING AT AN ARPT WHERE IT WAS COMMON TO PASS OPPOSITE TFC IN CLOSE PROX WHILE ON THE SAME TXWY. AS I SLOWED TO THE SPD OF A SLOW WALK TO PASS; THE OTHER ACFT CALLED GND AND INQUIRED BOUT MY POS. GND ADVISED I DID NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO BE ON TXWY Z; TO WHICH I REPLIED I WAS NOT ON TXWY Z. THE OTHER ACFT CONFIRMED I WAS WITHIN THE RAMP AREA. THE CTLR FAILED TO PROVIDE ANY DIRECTION AND SAID THAT HE DID NOT HAVE A VIEW OF OUR LOCATION AT NIGHT. (THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF A NON VISIBLE AREA MARKED ON THE GND OR IN NOTAMS.) AFTER ABOUT 30 SECONDS OF SILENCE; THE OTHER ACFT OFFERED TO DO A 180 DEG TURN AND TAXI ON THE INSIDE RAMP. WHEN I WATCHED THE OTHER ACFT MANEUVER; I BECAME AWARE OF THE SECTION OF RAMP WHICH WAS BEING REFERRED TO AS THE 'INSIDE RAMP.' I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE OTHER ACFT DIDN'T SIMPLY CONTINUE ON TXWY Z; SINCE HE AGREED I WAS CLR; BUT THE 180 DEG TURN WAS HIS PREROGATIVE. AFTER ANOTHER SILENCE OF ABOUT 30 SECONDS; I QUERIED THE CTLR WITH MY CALL SIGN. HE ACTED AS IF HE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE SITUATION; WHICH IS WHEN I SPECIFICALLY ASKED HOW I MAY PROCEED TO THE FBO. HE ADVISED I WAS 'ON MY OWN' OR SOMETHING SIMILAR; AND THAT I WAS STILL NOT AUTH TO USE TXWY Z. (THOUGH THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM USING TXWY Z.) IN THE END; I CONTINUED TO TAXI WITHIN THE RAMP AREA TO MY DEST. I NOW REALIZE THAT I DID NOT TAXI VIA THE INTENDED RTE; THOUGH AT THE TIME I HAD NO REASON TO BELIEVE I WAS INCORRECT. I BELIEVED THE INSTRUCTION TO BE 'TO TAXI WITHIN THE RAMP AREA; TO PARKING.' AT ALL TIMES I WAS CLR OF TXWY Z AS DIRECTED (AFTER XING IT; OF COURSE). I WAS WORKING UNDER AN ASSUMPTION THAT THE GND CTLR WAS ABLE TO MONITOR MY PROGRESS AND WOULD HAVE CONTACTED ME IF I WAS IN THE WRONG AREA. I FEEL I PROPERLY BRIEFED THE FLT; YET FOUND NO INDICATION THAT A PORTION OF A MAIN TXWY WAS A NON VISIBLE AREA. MY GREATEST CONCERN IS WITH THE GND CTLR'S BEHAVIOR. UNFORTUNATELY; THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I'VE WORKED WITH A REID HILLVIEW CTLR WHO WAS DISCOURTEOUS AND UNHELPFUL. THAT THE CTLR FAILED TO PROVIDE ANY DIRECTION AND DISREGARDED THE PERCEIVED CONFLICT IS EMBARRASSING. WE ALL KNOW THAT PLTS AND CTLRS MUST WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND THE CONDESCENDING AND HOSTILE ATTITUDE EXHIBITED TONIGHT CREATES AN UNCOMFORTABLE AND UNPRODUCTIVE WORKING ENVIRONMENT. IN THE WORSE CASE; THIS AND SIMILAR ATTITUDES MAY LEAD TO COMPROMISED SAFETY. IN A SITUATION SIMILAR TO THIS ONE; I HOPE THE CTLR WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO EVALUATE THE SITUATION AND HELP PROVIDE A RESOLUTION. IF THERE IS BLAME TO BE PLACED; THAT CAN BE DONE AFTER THE FACT AS NECESSARY; BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS CTLR WAS RUDE AND DISCOURTEOUS WHILE DEALING WITH A SITUATION IN AN ACTIVE ARPT ENVIRONMENT. REID HILLVIEW CTLRS SHOULD RECEIVE TRAINING IN CONDUCTING THEMSELVES IN A COURTEOUS; PROFESSIONAL; AND HELPFUL MANNER (AS MOST CTLRS MANAGE TO DO). FURTHER; THE ATC NON VISIBLE AREA OF RHV ARPT SHOULD BE IDENTED IN NOTAMS AND WITH GND SIGNAGE.

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.