Narrative:

I submitted earlier NASA form to describe 'near militant' pressure by atl to visually follow another aircraft into field. It is no longer 'near.' upon turning to intercept extended runway 27L centerline, approximately 16 DME from field, approach told us to intercept localizer and advised MD88 traffic above and 3 NM ahead. Approach then asked us to acknowledge traffic is in sight, anticipating to clear us to follow aircraft into field. I replied 'we weren't trained to visually follow aircraft into field.' he said what and then talked to another aircraft. He asked us again about traffic and again I told him we weren't trained to visually follow aircraft and that we would follow the ILS. He then said 'well, you better learn because this is the way we do it in atl' and then cleared us for ILS. Inside FAF (depot), he asked us if we had traffic in sight and I told him we had the field in sight. He asked again about traffic. I saw aircraft touching down and reported it. He cleared us for visual and to switch to tower. I was not trying to be provocative. I was just trying to keep the crew's focus on flying aircraft, completing checklist, and keeping watch out for other aircraft to see and avoid. ATC's job is supposed to provide safe physical and wake separation. This shortcut to increase capacity compromises safety. Safety is the primary goal of everyone, isn't it?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN MD88 PROVOKES CTLR DURING A VISUAL APCH BY ADVISING THE CTLR THAT HE IS NOT TRAINED TO VISUALLY LOOK FOR AND KEEP OTHER TFC IN SIGHT FOR ATC SEPARATION. HE BELIEVES THAT IT IS ATC'S FULL RESPONSIBILITY.

Narrative: I SUBMITTED EARLIER NASA FORM TO DESCRIBE 'NEAR MILITANT' PRESSURE BY ATL TO VISUALLY FOLLOW ANOTHER ACFT INTO FIELD. IT IS NO LONGER 'NEAR.' UPON TURNING TO INTERCEPT EXTENDED RWY 27L CTRLINE, APPROX 16 DME FROM FIELD, APCH TOLD US TO INTERCEPT LOC AND ADVISED MD88 TFC ABOVE AND 3 NM AHEAD. APCH THEN ASKED US TO ACKNOWLEDGE TFC IS IN SIGHT, ANTICIPATING TO CLR US TO FOLLOW ACFT INTO FIELD. I REPLIED 'WE WEREN'T TRAINED TO VISUALLY FOLLOW ACFT INTO FIELD.' HE SAID WHAT AND THEN TALKED TO ANOTHER ACFT. HE ASKED US AGAIN ABOUT TFC AND AGAIN I TOLD HIM WE WEREN'T TRAINED TO VISUALLY FOLLOW ACFT AND THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW THE ILS. HE THEN SAID 'WELL, YOU BETTER LEARN BECAUSE THIS IS THE WAY WE DO IT IN ATL' AND THEN CLRED US FOR ILS. INSIDE FAF (DEPOT), HE ASKED US IF WE HAD TFC IN SIGHT AND I TOLD HIM WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. HE ASKED AGAIN ABOUT TFC. I SAW ACFT TOUCHING DOWN AND RPTED IT. HE CLRED US FOR VISUAL AND TO SWITCH TO TWR. I WAS NOT TRYING TO BE PROVOCATIVE. I WAS JUST TRYING TO KEEP THE CREW'S FOCUS ON FLYING ACFT, COMPLETING CHKLIST, AND KEEPING WATCH OUT FOR OTHER ACFT TO SEE AND AVOID. ATC'S JOB IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE SAFE PHYSICAL AND WAKE SEPARATION. THIS SHORTCUT TO INCREASE CAPACITY COMPROMISES SAFETY. SAFETY IS THE PRIMARY GOAL OF EVERYONE, ISN'T IT?

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.