Narrative:

Dfw international has an ongoing problem that needs some review before a terrible accident occurs. The ATC procedure of crossing aircraft from one side of the airport to the other in IMC is not safe. I have personally been vectored for this type of approach countless times and finally decided to try and do something. We were approaching dfw from the east (scurry), dfw landing south. ATIS advises expect 17L from the east. On downwind the controller advises expect 18R. We are in solid IMC crossing through active approach paths at 4000 ft. This same procedure is used no matter what direction you may be coming from for north/south operations at dfw. My concern is that a missed or 'stepped on' communication will eventually lead to a midair collision. No other airport in the country practices this procedure and dfw practices it a lot. I plan on contacting the local ATC people regarding this problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter does not know why approach control does the crossover to runway on opposite side of airport so frequently. Does not appear to be a maneuver to increase the amount of traffic the controller can handle inasmuch as it creates more traffic and more communication. Reporter's concern is the communication congestion that might cause a flight crew to miss an altitude or a turn in this maneuver that requires total accurate communication.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR PROTESTS THE FREQUENCY THAT DFW APCH CTL SWITCHES RWYS FROM ONE SIDE OF THE ARPT TO THE OTHER REQUIRING A XOVER MANEUVER FOR 2 ACFT.

Narrative: DFW INTL HAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT NEEDS SOME REVIEW BEFORE A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT OCCURS. THE ATC PROC OF XING ACFT FROM ONE SIDE OF THE ARPT TO THE OTHER IN IMC IS NOT SAFE. I HAVE PERSONALLY BEEN VECTORED FOR THIS TYPE OF APCH COUNTLESS TIMES AND FINALLY DECIDED TO TRY AND DO SOMETHING. WE WERE APCHING DFW FROM THE E (SCURRY), DFW LNDG S. ATIS ADVISES EXPECT 17L FROM THE E. ON DOWNWIND THE CTLR ADVISES EXPECT 18R. WE ARE IN SOLID IMC XING THROUGH ACTIVE APCH PATHS AT 4000 FT. THIS SAME PROC IS USED NO MATTER WHAT DIRECTION YOU MAY BE COMING FROM FOR N/S OPS AT DFW. MY CONCERN IS THAT A MISSED OR 'STEPPED ON' COM WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A MIDAIR COLLISION. NO OTHER ARPT IN THE COUNTRY PRACTICES THIS PROC AND DFW PRACTICES IT A LOT. I PLAN ON CONTACTING THE LCL ATC PEOPLE REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR DOES NOT KNOW WHY APCH CTL DOES THE CROSSOVER TO RWY ON OPPOSITE SIDE OF ARPT SO FREQUENTLY. DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A MANEUVER TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF TFC THE CTLR CAN HANDLE INASMUCH AS IT CREATES MORE TFC AND MORE COM. RPTR'S CONCERN IS THE COM CONGESTION THAT MIGHT CAUSE A FLC TO MISS AN ALT OR A TURN IN THIS MANEUVER THAT REQUIRES TOTAL ACCURATE COM.

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.