Reported situation of traffic saturation after informing the center traffic management unit with run...

Narrative:

During the midday inbound traffic push the ZME traffic management unit was advised that memphis approach control would be conducting instrument approachs to runways 18R and 18C. Runway 27 would not be used due to high wind conditions. The resulting flow of traffic into the memphis terminal area was unsatisfactory for the conditions stated above and ultimately caused the airspace to become saturated with traffic. The traffic was not metered nor fixes balanced in accordance with FAA directives. ZME traffic management unit routinely allows the ZME ARTCC sectors that surround the memphis terminal area as well as the memphis terminal area to become saturated with traffic. This situation creates a potentially dangerous environment to the flying public. Additionally, restricting high performance aircraft to fly at speeds of 170- 190 KTS at 6000 ft and below and vectoring those aircraft for 60-70 mi at those speeds and altitudes is a negative impact on the users of the air traffic system. On occasion ZME traffic management unit has questioned the need for restrs with comments such as 'are you making a statement?' and on other occasions totally disregarding the instructions issued by memphis approach control and failing to pass the restrs to the appropriate sectors surrounding the memphis terminal area because ZME traffic management unit 'didn't see the need!!!' there appears to be no accountability placed on the individual traffic management unit specialists for their performance. If there is not going to be an effort by the individual traffic management unit specialist to monitor and adjust the flow of traffic as stated in FAA directives then traffic management units should be eliminated, at least in the memphis terminal area. There are those in the ZME traffic management unit who do provide exceptional service, unfortunately, the problems outlined above have become the rule rather than the exception.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTED SIT OF TFC SATURATION AFTER INFORMING THE CTR TFC MGMNT UNIT WITH RWY APCH CONFIGN. CTR TFC FLOW UNSATISFACTORY FOR RWYS 18R AND 18C. VECTORING HIGH PERFORMANCE ACFT FOR 60-70 MI WITH SPDS RESTR TO 170-190 KTS AT 6000 FT AND BELOW.

Narrative: DURING THE MIDDAY INBOUND TFC PUSH THE ZME TFC MGMNT UNIT WAS ADVISED THAT MEMPHIS APCH CTL WOULD BE CONDUCTING INST APCHS TO RWYS 18R AND 18C. RWY 27 WOULD NOT BE USED DUE TO HIGH WIND CONDITIONS. THE RESULTING FLOW OF TFC INTO THE MEMPHIS TERMINAL AREA WAS UNSATISFACTORY FOR THE CONDITIONS STATED ABOVE AND ULTIMATELY CAUSED THE AIRSPACE TO BECOME SATURATED WITH TFC. THE TFC WAS NOT METERED NOR FIXES BALANCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAA DIRECTIVES. ZME TFC MGMNT UNIT ROUTINELY ALLOWS THE ZME ARTCC SECTORS THAT SURROUND THE MEMPHIS TERMINAL AREA AS WELL AS THE MEMPHIS TERMINAL AREA TO BECOME SATURATED WITH TFC. THIS SIT CREATES A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENT TO THE FLYING PUBLIC. ADDITIONALLY, RESTRICTING HIGH PERFORMANCE ACFT TO FLY AT SPDS OF 170- 190 KTS AT 6000 FT AND BELOW AND VECTORING THOSE ACFT FOR 60-70 MI AT THOSE SPDS AND ALTS IS A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE USERS OF THE AIR TFC SYS. ON OCCASION ZME TFC MGMNT UNIT HAS QUESTIONED THE NEED FOR RESTRS WITH COMMENTS SUCH AS 'ARE YOU MAKING A STATEMENT?' AND ON OTHER OCCASIONS TOTALLY DISREGARDING THE INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED BY MEMPHIS APCH CTL AND FAILING TO PASS THE RESTRS TO THE APPROPRIATE SECTORS SURROUNDING THE MEMPHIS TERMINAL AREA BECAUSE ZME TFC MGMNT UNIT 'DIDN'T SEE THE NEED!!!' THERE APPEARS TO BE NO ACCOUNTABILITY PLACED ON THE INDIVIDUAL TFC MGMNT UNIT SPECIALISTS FOR THEIR PERFORMANCE. IF THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE AN EFFORT BY THE INDIVIDUAL TFC MGMNT UNIT SPECIALIST TO MONITOR AND ADJUST THE FLOW OF TFC AS STATED IN FAA DIRECTIVES THEN TFC MGMNT UNITS SHOULD BE ELIMINATED, AT LEAST IN THE MEMPHIS TERMINAL AREA. THERE ARE THOSE IN THE ZME TFC MGMNT UNIT WHO DO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL SVC, UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROBS OUTLINED ABOVE HAVE BECOME THE RULE RATHER THAN THE EXCEPTION.

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.

Attributes
ACN	334518
Time
Date	199604
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme tracon : mem
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 12 flight time total : 100
ASRS Report	334518
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Reported situation of traffic saturation after informing the center traffic management unit with runway approach confign. Center traffic flow unsatisfactory for runways 18R and 18C. Vectoring high performance aircraft for 60-70 mi with speeds restr to 170-190 KTS at 6000 ft and below.