Narrative:

Atl 5 departure states, 'turbojets: accelerate to 250 KIAS as rapidly as feasible until reaching 10000 ft.' that is our normal climb procedure, performed at 3000 ft AGL. It's always worked fine out of atl in the past. This controller called us at 2000 ft AGL, when our speed was 160 KIAS (V2 +10 KTS), to have us accelerate right there. We complied while listening to his scolding about speeds on the SID for spacing purposes. His interpretation of 'as rapidly as feasible' may be below what we use as a safe altitude for confign/acceleration. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he was in a line of departures that were all sequentially cleared for takeoff as the preceding aircraft was still accelerating on takeoff roll. Reporter knew that a 'smaller' jet was behind them for takeoff, which probably was the result of the departure controller's 'scolding.' the captain had a company representative call the TRACON. The captain was later told the controller 'was having a bad day' as a response to their inquiries.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A80 DEP CTLR COMPLAINS TO DC10 FLT CREW FOR NOT ACCELERATING TO 250 KTS QUICKLY ENOUGH WHEN EXECUTING THE ATL FIVE SID.

Narrative: ATL 5 DEP STATES, 'TURBOJETS: ACCELERATE TO 250 KIAS AS RAPIDLY AS FEASIBLE UNTIL REACHING 10000 FT.' THAT IS OUR NORMAL CLB PROC, PERFORMED AT 3000 FT AGL. IT'S ALWAYS WORKED FINE OUT OF ATL IN THE PAST. THIS CTLR CALLED US AT 2000 FT AGL, WHEN OUR SPD WAS 160 KIAS (V2 +10 KTS), TO HAVE US ACCELERATE RIGHT THERE. WE COMPLIED WHILE LISTENING TO HIS SCOLDING ABOUT SPDS ON THE SID FOR SPACING PURPOSES. HIS INTERP OF 'AS RAPIDLY AS FEASIBLE' MAY BE BELOW WHAT WE USE AS A SAFE ALT FOR CONFIGN/ACCELERATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE WAS IN A LINE OF DEPS THAT WERE ALL SEQUENTIALLY CLRED FOR TKOF AS THE PRECEDING ACFT WAS STILL ACCELERATING ON TKOF ROLL. RPTR KNEW THAT A 'SMALLER' JET WAS BEHIND THEM FOR TKOF, WHICH PROBABLY WAS THE RESULT OF THE DEP CTLR'S 'SCOLDING.' THE CAPT HAD A COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE CALL THE TRACON. THE CAPT WAS LATER TOLD THE CTLR 'WAS HAVING A BAD DAY' AS A RESPONSE TO THEIR INQUIRIES.

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.