An ARTCC controller complains that air carrier's are not meeting a crossing restr at swede intersect...

Attributes
ACN	636707
Time
Date	200411
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zbw.artcc
State Reference	NH
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	arrival star : swede 1
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 2 controller radar : 13
ASRS Report	636707
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Numerous air carrier's are descending at nonstandard rates of descent and are unable to meet crossing restr. In particular, the swede 1 arrival has a restr of 'expect swede at or below FL230.' yet, numerous times air carrier traffic is not able to comply with that restr because their previous rates of descent were not sufficient. A majority of the time, the aircraft are descending at 750-1000 FPM, when the normal descent rate is 1250-1750 FPM. This change in operation is causing significant additional workload because if an aircraft cannot meet a restr, there is coordination which needs to be done in a timely manner. On at least 2 occasions, I have had to turn aircraft 45 degrees or more because of their less than normal rates of descent. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the incidents occur several times per day. They mostly involve aircraft with FMS navigation system. One air carrier causes the problem more than others. Even though the STAR (swede 1 arrival) shows an expected crossing altitude, it is not assigned until entering the reporter's sector. After the handoff into that sector, off-course vectors are needed to make it possible to meet the crossing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ARTCC CTLR COMPLAINS THAT ACR'S ARE NOT MEETING A XING RESTR AT SWEDE INTXN BECAUSE THEY APPEAR TO USE LESS THAN A STANDARD RATE OF DSCNT AND DO NOT PLAN FOR THE EXPECTED XING ALT.

Narrative: NUMEROUS ACR'S ARE DSNDING AT NONSTANDARD RATES OF DSCNT AND ARE UNABLE TO MEET XING RESTR. IN PARTICULAR, THE SWEDE 1 ARR HAS A RESTR OF 'EXPECT SWEDE AT OR BELOW FL230.' YET, NUMEROUS TIMES ACR TFC IS NOT ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THAT RESTR BECAUSE THEIR PREVIOUS RATES OF DSCNT WERE NOT SUFFICIENT. A MAJORITY OF THE TIME, THE ACFT ARE DSNDING AT 750-1000 FPM, WHEN THE NORMAL DSCNT RATE IS 1250-1750 FPM. THIS CHANGE IN OP IS CAUSING SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD BECAUSE IF AN ACFT CANNOT MEET A RESTR, THERE IS COORD WHICH NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER. ON AT LEAST 2 OCCASIONS, I HAVE HAD TO TURN ACFT 45 DEGS OR MORE BECAUSE OF THEIR LESS THAN NORMAL RATES OF DSCNT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE INCIDENTS OCCUR SEVERAL TIMES PER DAY. THEY MOSTLY INVOLVE ACFT WITH FMS NAV SYS. ONE ACR CAUSES THE PROB MORE THAN OTHERS. EVEN THOUGH THE STAR (SWEDE 1 ARR) SHOWS AN EXPECTED XING ALT, IT IS NOT ASSIGNED UNTIL ENTERING THE RPTR'S SECTOR. AFTER THE HDOF INTO THAT SECTOR, OFF-COURSE VECTORS ARE NEEDED TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO MEET THE XING.

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.

An ARTCC controller complains that air carrier's are not meeting a crossing restr at swede intersection because they appear to use less than a standard rate of descent and do not plan for the expected crossing altitude.