Enroute aircraft was held at holding fix while at cruise altitude for departure aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	151877
Time
Date	199006
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mlu
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v18
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	151877
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

While cruising at 7000', IMC on an IFR flight plan, monroe approach advised holding at calus intersection for an medium large transport departure from mlu. Holding was issued. I was on V18 and the medium large transport V417. Monroe was asked the reason for holding, en route to meridian, ms, with the understanding I was not landing monroe, and the reply. It didn't matter, 'hold at calus for the departure.' my question is when is the aircraft at cruise to hold for airline departure? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: contacted the air traffic manager to determine if the radar equipment was operating satisfactory on the date of incident. He advised that primary and secondary radar was OTS on that date. He was concerned that the pilot did not contact him re: the problem of holding en route aircraft. He could not think of a reason for this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENROUTE ACFT WAS HELD AT HOLDING FIX WHILE AT CRUISE ALT FOR DEP ACFT.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT 7000', IMC ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, MONROE APCH ADVISED HOLDING AT CALUS INTXN FOR AN MLG DEP FROM MLU. HOLDING WAS ISSUED. I WAS ON V18 AND THE MLG V417. MONROE WAS ASKED THE REASON FOR HOLDING, ENRTE TO MERIDIAN, MS, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING I WAS NOT LNDG MONROE, AND THE REPLY. IT DIDN'T MATTER, 'HOLD AT CALUS FOR THE DEP.' MY QUESTION IS WHEN IS THE ACFT AT CRUISE TO HOLD FOR AIRLINE DEP? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CONTACTED THE AIR TFC MGR TO DETERMINE IF THE RADAR EQUIP WAS OPERATING SATISFACTORY ON THE DATE OF INCIDENT. HE ADVISED THAT PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RADAR WAS OTS ON THAT DATE. HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE PLT DID NOT CONTACT HIM RE: THE PROB OF HOLDING ENRTE ACFT. HE COULD NOT THINK OF A REASON FOR THIS INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.