Communication conflict between flight crew of medium large transport and ARTCC radar controller.

Attributes
ACN	119746
Time
Date	198908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pit
State Reference	PA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	119746
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This conflict with air traffic control occurred on a flight from bradley field, hartford, ct, en route to pittsburgh's greater int'l airport. While at cruise altitude, approximately 150 mi east of pittsburgh, ZNY requested me to accelerate the aircraft to 330 KIAS or greater, because we had been experiencing some intermittent turbulence, my reply was that I could give him 280 KIAS or less. (This is the aircraft's recommended turbulence penetration airspeed.) for the next 10 or 15 mins the ZNY controller continued to ask me, as well as other aircraft in the area, about turbulence reports. On 2 occasions, he explained to other aircraft that they were being slowed because of my 280 KIAS. (I would have gladly taken a vector!) the controller was trying to make a big issue of my speed (280) and was obviously displeased when I could not comply with his request for 330 KIAS or greater.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COM CONFLICT BETWEEN FLT CREW OF MLG AND ARTCC RADAR CTLR.

Narrative: THIS CONFLICT WITH AIR TFC CTL OCCURRED ON A FLT FROM BRADLEY FIELD, HARTFORD, CT, ENRTE TO PITTSBURGH'S GREATER INT'L ARPT. WHILE AT CRUISE ALT, APPROX 150 MI E OF PITTSBURGH, ZNY REQUESTED ME TO ACCELERATE THE ACFT TO 330 KIAS OR GREATER, BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING SOME INTERMITTENT TURBULENCE, MY REPLY WAS THAT I COULD GIVE HIM 280 KIAS OR LESS. (THIS IS THE ACFT'S RECOMMENDED TURBULENCE PENETRATION AIRSPEED.) FOR THE NEXT 10 OR 15 MINS THE ZNY CTLR CONTINUED TO ASK ME, AS WELL AS OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA, ABOUT TURBULENCE REPORTS. ON 2 OCCASIONS, HE EXPLAINED TO OTHER ACFT THAT THEY WERE BEING SLOWED BECAUSE OF MY 280 KIAS. (I WOULD HAVE GLADLY TAKEN A VECTOR!) THE CTLR WAS TRYING TO MAKE A BIG ISSUE OF MY SPEED (280) AND WAS OBVIOUSLY DISPLEASED WHEN I COULD NOT COMPLY WITH HIS REQUEST FOR 330 KIAS OR GREATER.

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.