Narrative:

We were talking to center on 127.60. We had passed the blue ridge VOR and were tracking outbnd on the 215 degree right toward dfw. In other words, we were inside the cornerpost on the STAR. Center started giving holding instructions to approximately 6 aircraft outside the blue ridge VOR. They were to hold over buj as published, etc. We felt good because we had already passed buj. Suddenly we got holding instructions for on the bug 009 degree right, etc. We could not believe it and asked center if all that was for our flight. He said, 'yes.' I told him we had already passed the VOR and were inbound on the STAR. No answer!! I called again and asked if he wanted us to make a 180 degree turn and go back to the VOR. He answered, 'I guess so, yes.' published hold over buj is on the 259 degree right, not 009 degree right. I told him. Center was out of it and confusing us. It was an unsafe situation!! Dfw tower/approach/center are overworked and too busy (safety is in jeopardy). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states the flight did a 180 degree turn and went back to the holding fix. The same kind of confusing instruction happens frequently at dfw. Feels controllers are extremely overworked and situation is unsafe. Recently flight crew saw debris on taxiway and tried to notify ground control. The response was, 'gentlemen, shut up. We'll do the talking.' the instructions are given for 3 or 4 aircraft at a time with no space for an acknowledgement, let alone a readback. Pilots can never get on frequency to advise the start of a descent (it is only advisory) on the STAR. Then ATC gets angry with them. States that his company brings atl based pilots for training and they are shocked. They indicate atl would never stand for such procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AT A FIX WHICH IS BEHIND THEM ON A STAR.

Narrative: WE WERE TALKING TO CENTER ON 127.60. WE HAD PASSED THE BLUE RIDGE VOR AND WERE TRACKING OUTBND ON THE 215 DEG R TOWARD DFW. IN OTHER WORDS, WE WERE INSIDE THE CORNERPOST ON THE STAR. CENTER STARTED GIVING HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS TO APPROX 6 ACFT OUTSIDE THE BLUE RIDGE VOR. THEY WERE TO HOLD OVER BUJ AS PUBLISHED, ETC. WE FELT GOOD BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY PASSED BUJ. SUDDENLY WE GOT HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ON THE BUG 009 DEG R, ETC. WE COULD NOT BELIEVE IT AND ASKED CENTER IF ALL THAT WAS FOR OUR FLT. HE SAID, 'YES.' I TOLD HIM WE HAD ALREADY PASSED THE VOR AND WERE INBND ON THE STAR. NO ANSWER!! I CALLED AGAIN AND ASKED IF HE WANTED US TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN AND GO BACK TO THE VOR. HE ANSWERED, 'I GUESS SO, YES.' PUBLISHED HOLD OVER BUJ IS ON THE 259 DEG R, NOT 009 DEG R. I TOLD HIM. CENTER WAS OUT OF IT AND CONFUSING US. IT WAS AN UNSAFE SITUATION!! DFW TWR/APCH/CENTER ARE OVERWORKED AND TOO BUSY (SAFETY IS IN JEOPARDY). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THE FLT DID A 180 DEG TURN AND WENT BACK TO THE HOLDING FIX. THE SAME KIND OF CONFUSING INSTRUCTION HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AT DFW. FEELS CTLRS ARE EXTREMELY OVERWORKED AND SITUATION IS UNSAFE. RECENTLY FLT CREW SAW DEBRIS ON TXWY AND TRIED TO NOTIFY GND CTL. THE RESPONSE WAS, 'GENTLEMEN, SHUT UP. WE'LL DO THE TALKING.' THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE GIVEN FOR 3 OR 4 ACFT AT A TIME WITH NO SPACE FOR AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, LET ALONE A READBACK. PLTS CAN NEVER GET ON FREQ TO ADVISE THE START OF A DSNT (IT IS ONLY ADVISORY) ON THE STAR. THEN ATC GETS ANGRY WITH THEM. STATES THAT HIS COMPANY BRINGS ATL BASED PLTS FOR TRNING AND THEY ARE SHOCKED. THEY INDICATE ATL WOULD NEVER STAND FOR SUCH PROCS.

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.