Narrative:

Our aircraft (C172RG) did approximately 10 patterns and touch and go's. Other traffic varied from O-3 other planes in various patterns to the same runway 20. Tower controller: 1) consistently delayed many seconds in replying to most radio calls. 2) consistently failed to specify runway in clrncs. 3) repeatedly requested aircraft in patterns to do 720 degree turns on downwind for spacing. (Extended downwinds, short approachs, etc, would have been easier and safer for all.) 4) gave every impression he was not actually watching traffic. Once he even claimed he had no way of knowing we were doing the 720 degrees he'd requested, while we were halfway through it directly in front of the tower! 5) made no effort to interleave traffic efficiently, causing unnecessary delays.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT INSTRUCTOR, WITH STUDENT, IN A CESSNA 172, FINDS TWR CTLR COMPLACENT WHILE DOING TFC PATTERNS FOR TOUCH AND GO LNDGS.

Narrative: OUR ACFT (C172RG) DID APPROX 10 PATTERNS AND TOUCH AND GO'S. OTHER TFC VARIED FROM O-3 OTHER PLANES IN VARIOUS PATTERNS TO THE SAME RWY 20. TWR CTLR: 1) CONSISTENTLY DELAYED MANY SECONDS IN REPLYING TO MOST RADIO CALLS. 2) CONSISTENTLY FAILED TO SPECIFY RWY IN CLRNCS. 3) REPEATEDLY REQUESTED ACFT IN PATTERNS TO DO 720 DEG TURNS ON DOWNWIND FOR SPACING. (EXTENDED DOWNWINDS, SHORT APCHS, ETC, WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER AND SAFER FOR ALL.) 4) GAVE EVERY IMPRESSION HE WAS NOT ACTUALLY WATCHING TFC. ONCE HE EVEN CLAIMED HE HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING WE WERE DOING THE 720 DEGS HE'D REQUESTED, WHILE WE WERE HALFWAY THROUGH IT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE TWR! 5) MADE NO EFFORT TO INTERLEAVE TFC EFFICIENTLY, CAUSING UNNECESSARY DELAYS.

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.