Narrative:

This is somewhat discouraging because this report is almost identical to one that I filed several months ago. Operating as flight X in a B767 aircraft, we were cleared for a visual approach to runway 28R at pit. We were 3 mi behind another aircraft. After he landed, pit tower cleared another aircraft into position on the runway, in spite of our aircraft being very close in, descending out of 1200 ft AGL. By the time the landing aircraft ahead of us cleared the runway and the plane in position was cleared for takeoff, we were at 300 ft AGL. It became an extremely tight situation and there was literally less than 1 second between the time the departing plane left the runway and we touched down. I realize that controllers are under a great deal of pressure to keep traffic moving and to minimize delays, but it's getting downright scary out there. The margin for safety is being seriously eroded and it's only a question of time before disaster strikes. Ok, if the problem is worsening, what can be done? Let's encourage more ATC 'familiarization' rides where controllers ride in our jumpseats. This is particularly important for tower controllers. They need to see and be made aware of the pilot's perspective. We're not just 'blips' on a radar screen and a B767 is not as maneuverable as a sports car! Quite a few controllers are not pilots and I don't think they realize the untenable situation that they create for us when they put 3 airplanes on a runway virtually simultaneously.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A B767 COMPLAINS ABOUT TWR'S CLOSE RWY USE SPACING DURING APCH AND LNDG.

Narrative: THIS IS SOMEWHAT DISCOURAGING BECAUSE THIS RPT IS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO ONE THAT I FILED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. OPERATING AS FLT X IN A B767 ACFT, WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 28R AT PIT. WE WERE 3 MI BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT. AFTER HE LANDED, PIT TWR CLRED ANOTHER ACFT INTO POS ON THE RWY, IN SPITE OF OUR ACFT BEING VERY CLOSE IN, DSNDING OUT OF 1200 FT AGL. BY THE TIME THE LNDG ACFT AHEAD OF US CLRED THE RWY AND THE PLANE IN POS WAS CLRED FOR TKOF, WE WERE AT 300 FT AGL. IT BECAME AN EXTREMELY TIGHT SIT AND THERE WAS LITERALLY LESS THAN 1 SECOND BTWN THE TIME THE DEPARTING PLANE LEFT THE RWY AND WE TOUCHED DOWN. I REALIZE THAT CTLRS ARE UNDER A GREAT DEAL OF PRESSURE TO KEEP TFC MOVING AND TO MINIMIZE DELAYS, BUT IT'S GETTING DOWNRIGHT SCARY OUT THERE. THE MARGIN FOR SAFETY IS BEING SERIOUSLY ERODED AND IT'S ONLY A QUESTION OF TIME BEFORE DISASTER STRIKES. OK, IF THE PROB IS WORSENING, WHAT CAN BE DONE? LET'S ENCOURAGE MORE ATC 'FAMILIARIZATION' RIDES WHERE CTLRS RIDE IN OUR JUMPSEATS. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR TWR CTLRS. THEY NEED TO SEE AND BE MADE AWARE OF THE PLT'S PERSPECTIVE. WE'RE NOT JUST 'BLIPS' ON A RADAR SCREEN AND A B767 IS NOT AS MANEUVERABLE AS A SPORTS CAR! QUITE A FEW CTLRS ARE NOT PLTS AND I DON'T THINK THEY REALIZE THE UNTENABLE SIT THAT THEY CREATE FOR US WHEN THEY PUT 3 AIRPLANES ON A RWY VIRTUALLY SIMULTANEOUSLY.

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.