Narrative:

There seems to be no doubt that mdw traffic takes a back seat to ord's needs. For example, on 10/mon/88, mdw was conducting NDB approachs to runway 4 despite a WX situation deteriorating by the minute and a weak to nonexistent signal from the NDB channel 332, and an ATIS information that approachs were being conducted to an ILS 13 landing. It's no secret that ILS 13 approachs encroach upon ord, but the problem is so significant that ATC will regularly sacrifice safety to expediency by using circling approachs to runway 13 or using runway 31 with a tailwind. Neither is a satisfactory solution considering the density of people, business and industry surrounding mdw and the short length of the runways. Certainly, the construction underway on runways 4-22 contributes to the mdw problem, but I think ATC is relying too much on pilot skills to make their problems easier solutions. On this particular day I attempted to fly the NDB approach and, fortunately, broke out of the clouds at 1500' AGL, because I was 20 degrees off landing heading and offset at 1 mi--set up for a circle but in no way ok for a runway 4 dbn profile. This was due to the inaccurate ADF information displayed on my instrument panel--despite a reasonable identify signal off the navigation facility. Chi ATC should stop giving preference to ord traffic when it adversely affects the safety of operation at mdw.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT REPORTER CONTENDS THAT ORD APCH CTL GIVES PREFERENCE TO ORD TRAFFIC TO THE DETRIMENT OF MDW TRAFFIC.

Narrative: THERE SEEMS TO BE NO DOUBT THAT MDW TFC TAKES A BACK SEAT TO ORD'S NEEDS. FOR EXAMPLE, ON 10/MON/88, MDW WAS CONDUCTING NDB APCHS TO RWY 4 DESPITE A WX SITUATION DETERIORATING BY THE MINUTE AND A WEAK TO NONEXISTENT SIGNAL FROM THE NDB CHANNEL 332, AND AN ATIS INFO THAT APCHS WERE BEING CONDUCTED TO AN ILS 13 LNDG. IT'S NO SECRET THAT ILS 13 APCHS ENCROACH UPON ORD, BUT THE PROB IS SO SIGNIFICANT THAT ATC WILL REGULARLY SACRIFICE SAFETY TO EXPEDIENCY BY USING CIRCLING APCHS TO RWY 13 OR USING RWY 31 WITH A TAILWIND. NEITHER IS A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION CONSIDERING THE DENSITY OF PEOPLE, BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY SURROUNDING MDW AND THE SHORT LENGTH OF THE RWYS. CERTAINLY, THE CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY ON RWYS 4-22 CONTRIBUTES TO THE MDW PROB, BUT I THINK ATC IS RELYING TOO MUCH ON PLT SKILLS TO MAKE THEIR PROBS EASIER SOLUTIONS. ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY I ATTEMPTED TO FLY THE NDB APCH AND, FORTUNATELY, BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT 1500' AGL, BECAUSE I WAS 20 DEGS OFF LNDG HDG AND OFFSET AT 1 MI--SET UP FOR A CIRCLE BUT IN NO WAY OK FOR A RWY 4 DBN PROFILE. THIS WAS DUE TO THE INACCURATE ADF INFO DISPLAYED ON MY INSTRUMENT PANEL--DESPITE A REASONABLE IDENT SIGNAL OFF THE NAV FAC. CHI ATC SHOULD STOP GIVING PREFERENCE TO ORD TFC WHEN IT ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE SAFETY OF OPERATION AT MDW.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.