Narrative:

Because of the high traffic density in the new york/newark area and my unfamiliarity with the complex ny TCA, I elected to file IFR from lwm to ldj and from ldj to lwm. I felt doing this would alleviate the task of attempting to navigate around, under or over the TCA and assure radar advisories even during busy times which I had anticipated during that time of day. I contacted ZNY on 128.35 MHZ for my IFR clearance to lwm. I received and read back my clearance to center and was asked what runway I would be departing. I informed center than local traffic was using runway 09, so I would be departing runway 09. I was told to advise center when I was ready for departure. Surface winds were calm. My clearance read: 'after departure, fly direct chatum...then radar vectors to brezy intersection.' informed center I was ready to depart. There were 2 aircraft in line behind me for departure, and at least 1 aircraft in the pattern on final approach. I was told by center to expect a 10 min delay for IFR release. Center then asked if I would be able to depart runway 27 rather than runway 09. I reminded center that local traffic was using runway 09 and that departing runway 27 would have me departing in the face of opp direction traffic. I was then told by center that if I was unable to depart runway 27 there would be a 40 min delay. My options were: wait the 40 mins, cancel IFR and depart VFR or attempt an opp direction takeoff on runway 27. I still felt that staying in the IFR system would more easily allow me to deal with the high traffic density and complex airspace. I decided to takeoff on runway 27. As I was approaching the end of the runway, center advised me that if I was not airborne within 2 mins my IFR clearance would be void. I was able to depart 27 within the time limit and west/O incident. Although this particular situation did not cause a dangerous occurrence, I feel it had the potential to cause a very unsafe condition. I realize it's the PIC's final decision in this situation whether to cancel IFR or takeoff opp direction, but is it really necessary to force this kind of a decision on a pilot? An immediate turn after departure from runway 09 to the initial fix would have present a far safer condition than an opp direction departure. I cannot help but wonder about the training of center controllers. Do they understand the dangers of opp runway departures? I also wondered: was this ATC's way of forcing me out of the system because they were too busy?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA PLT COMPLAINS ABOUT BEING FORCED TO MAKE A TKOF AT A NON TWR ARPT OPPOSITE TO TRAFFIC FLOW. FEELS HE WAS COERCED BY ATC.

Narrative: BECAUSE OF THE HIGH TFC DENSITY IN THE NEW YORK/NEWARK AREA AND MY UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE COMPLEX NY TCA, I ELECTED TO FILE IFR FROM LWM TO LDJ AND FROM LDJ TO LWM. I FELT DOING THIS WOULD ALLEVIATE THE TASK OF ATTEMPTING TO NAVIGATE AROUND, UNDER OR OVER THE TCA AND ASSURE RADAR ADVISORIES EVEN DURING BUSY TIMES WHICH I HAD ANTICIPATED DURING THAT TIME OF DAY. I CONTACTED ZNY ON 128.35 MHZ FOR MY IFR CLRNC TO LWM. I RECEIVED AND READ BACK MY CLRNC TO CENTER AND WAS ASKED WHAT RWY I WOULD BE DEPARTING. I INFORMED CENTER THAN LCL TFC WAS USING RWY 09, SO I WOULD BE DEPARTING RWY 09. I WAS TOLD TO ADVISE CENTER WHEN I WAS READY FOR DEP. SURFACE WINDS WERE CALM. MY CLRNC READ: 'AFTER DEP, FLY DIRECT CHATUM...THEN RADAR VECTORS TO BREZY INTXN.' INFORMED CENTER I WAS READY TO DEPART. THERE WERE 2 ACFT IN LINE BEHIND ME FOR DEP, AND AT LEAST 1 ACFT IN THE PATTERN ON FINAL APCH. I WAS TOLD BY CENTER TO EXPECT A 10 MIN DELAY FOR IFR RELEASE. CENTER THEN ASKED IF I WOULD BE ABLE TO DEPART RWY 27 RATHER THAN RWY 09. I REMINDED CENTER THAT LCL TFC WAS USING RWY 09 AND THAT DEPARTING RWY 27 WOULD HAVE ME DEPARTING IN THE FACE OF OPP DIRECTION TFC. I WAS THEN TOLD BY CENTER THAT IF I WAS UNABLE TO DEPART RWY 27 THERE WOULD BE A 40 MIN DELAY. MY OPTIONS WERE: WAIT THE 40 MINS, CANCEL IFR AND DEPART VFR OR ATTEMPT AN OPP DIRECTION TKOF ON RWY 27. I STILL FELT THAT STAYING IN THE IFR SYS WOULD MORE EASILY ALLOW ME TO DEAL WITH THE HIGH TFC DENSITY AND COMPLEX AIRSPACE. I DECIDED TO TKOF ON RWY 27. AS I WAS APCHING THE END OF THE RWY, CENTER ADVISED ME THAT IF I WAS NOT AIRBORNE WITHIN 2 MINS MY IFR CLRNC WOULD BE VOID. I WAS ABLE TO DEPART 27 WITHIN THE TIME LIMIT AND W/O INCIDENT. ALTHOUGH THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION DID NOT CAUSE A DANGEROUS OCCURRENCE, I FEEL IT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION. I REALIZE IT'S THE PIC'S FINAL DECISION IN THIS SITUATION WHETHER TO CANCEL IFR OR TKOF OPP DIRECTION, BUT IS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO FORCE THIS KIND OF A DECISION ON A PLT? AN IMMEDIATE TURN AFTER DEP FROM RWY 09 TO THE INITIAL FIX WOULD HAVE PRESENT A FAR SAFER CONDITION THAN AN OPP DIRECTION DEP. I CANNOT HELP BUT WONDER ABOUT THE TRNING OF CENTER CTLRS. DO THEY UNDERSTAND THE DANGERS OF OPP RWY DEPS? I ALSO WONDERED: WAS THIS ATC'S WAY OF FORCING ME OUT OF THE SYS BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO BUSY?

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.