EMB145 crew upsets ord tower controller by query of reported birds on the active runway while #1 for...

Attributes
ACN	450024
Time
Date	199909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold ground : taxi ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	450024
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other inflight encounter : birds non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We were cleared into position and hold on runway 9L at ord as an air carrier XXX jet started its takeoff roll. After liftoff, they reported birds -- a lot of birds -- on the runway midfield. Ord tower answered them and in the same breath cleared us for takeoff. We told tower that there were birds reported on the runway. Tower got upset and cleared us off the runway and told us that there would be a very long delay to get a city vehicle out to the runway. We said ok. By now, another air carrier jet had taxied up to the runway and tower told them of a report of birds in the vicinity of runway 9L. I asked, 'are you going to take off or wait for city vehicle -- long delay?' tower lied about bird report and before I could get on the radio to inform the air carrier crew they accepted the takeoff clearance and were rolling on runway 9L. They reported no birds. We took off behind them. Ord tower is too much in a rush -- safety is being compromised. O'hare controllers give smart remarks and editorials on frequency --unsafe and uncalled-for. They are efficient, but for what price?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 CREW UPSETS ORD TWR CTLR BY QUERY OF RPTED BIRDS ON THE ACTIVE RWY WHILE #1 FOR TKOF.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 9L AT ORD AS AN ACR XXX JET STARTED ITS TKOF ROLL. AFTER LIFTOFF, THEY RPTED BIRDS -- A LOT OF BIRDS -- ON THE RWY MIDFIELD. ORD TWR ANSWERED THEM AND IN THE SAME BREATH CLRED US FOR TKOF. WE TOLD TWR THAT THERE WERE BIRDS RPTED ON THE RWY. TWR GOT UPSET AND CLRED US OFF THE RWY AND TOLD US THAT THERE WOULD BE A VERY LONG DELAY TO GET A CITY VEHICLE OUT TO THE RWY. WE SAID OK. BY NOW, ANOTHER ACR JET HAD TAXIED UP TO THE RWY AND TWR TOLD THEM OF A RPT OF BIRDS IN THE VICINITY OF RWY 9L. I ASKED, 'ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE OFF OR WAIT FOR CITY VEHICLE -- LONG DELAY?' TWR LIED ABOUT BIRD RPT AND BEFORE I COULD GET ON THE RADIO TO INFORM THE ACR CREW THEY ACCEPTED THE TKOF CLRNC AND WERE ROLLING ON RWY 9L. THEY RPTED NO BIRDS. WE TOOK OFF BEHIND THEM. ORD TWR IS TOO MUCH IN A RUSH -- SAFETY IS BEING COMPROMISED. O'HARE CTLRS GIVE SMART REMARKS AND EDITORIALS ON FREQ --UNSAFE AND UNCALLED-FOR. THEY ARE EFFICIENT, BUT FOR WHAT PRICE?

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.

EMB145 crew upsets ord tower controller by query of reported birds on the active runway while #1 for takeoff.