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MD80 en route to lax from dfw required to slow down by a ZAB radar controller to follow an rj at mach pt 74.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 595450 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200310 |
| Day | Wed |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : abq.airport |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl single value : 31000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : abq.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Challenger Jet Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 595450 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/mode c other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : separated traffic |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
We were already planned to be 14 mins late due to stronger than normal winds aloft. We were flight planned at a higher than normal mach and planned on slightly higher than planned to try and assure arrival within 14 mins. We were catching an rj doing mach .74 and also going to the west coast. We were forced to slow to match his speed over west texas and never allowed over mach .76 the entire trip. ATC would not allow us to pass by changing altitude or route. Fortunately there were no other delays and we were able to make exceptional time at lax. The 'bone of contention' here is that we are being impacted by these slower rj's. ATC really needs to be pressed to allow the faster planes to pass the slower ones. It's going to start affecting our on-time performance, drive hourly costs higher.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MD80 ENRTE TO LAX FROM DFW REQUIRED TO SLOW DOWN BY A ZAB RADAR CTLR TO FOLLOW AN RJ AT MACH PT 74.
Narrative: WE WERE ALREADY PLANNED TO BE 14 MINS LATE DUE TO STRONGER THAN NORMAL WINDS ALOFT. WE WERE FLT PLANNED AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL MACH AND PLANNED ON SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN PLANNED TO TRY AND ASSURE ARR WITHIN 14 MINS. WE WERE CATCHING AN RJ DOING MACH .74 AND ALSO GOING TO THE W COAST. WE WERE FORCED TO SLOW TO MATCH HIS SPD OVER W TEXAS AND NEVER ALLOWED OVER MACH .76 THE ENTIRE TRIP. ATC WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO PASS BY CHANGING ALT OR RTE. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO OTHER DELAYS AND WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE EXCEPTIONAL TIME AT LAX. THE 'BONE OF CONTENTION' HERE IS THAT WE ARE BEING IMPACTED BY THESE SLOWER RJ'S. ATC REALLY NEEDS TO BE PRESSED TO ALLOW THE FASTER PLANES TO PASS THE SLOWER ONES. IT'S GOING TO START AFFECTING OUR ON-TIME PERFORMANCE, DRIVE HRLY COSTS HIGHER.
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.