Narrative:

With winds reported 050/12; TRACON was asking arrivals if they could accept runway 22. TRACON was also telling arrivals that if they could not accept runway 22 or runway 27 they would have to hold. Winds at 050/12 place a 9 KT tailwind for landing runway 27. Needless to say this places us right up against our maximum tailwind limits of 10 KTS. In this situation; it creates a fairly likely chance of landing with tailwinds out of limits with either a slight change in direction or intensity of wind. The more prudent situation would have been for the airport to reconfigure for landing runways 4 and 9. One week prior to this; en route ATC required us and several other arrivals to fly through a closing hole of WX; rather than allowing us to proceed 20-30 mi south of a very narrow band of strong storms. In both of these situations; ATC has appeared unflexible in rerouting or reconfiguring for a much more safe operation. Too many times the response by the controller amounts to do it my way or you can go hold. It's time we get the controllers back in the jumpseats to see the operation from the aircraft; and also allow them to review current operating practices in thunderstorm and turbulence avoidance and aircraft performance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FO DESCRIBED TWO INCIDENTS WHEN QUESTIONABLE ATC SERVICES WERE PROVIDED BOTH ENROUTE AND LNDG AT ORD.

Narrative: WITH WINDS REPORTED 050/12; TRACON WAS ASKING ARRIVALS IF THEY COULD ACCEPT RWY 22. TRACON WAS ALSO TELLING ARRIVALS THAT IF THEY COULD NOT ACCEPT RWY 22 OR RWY 27 THEY WOULD HAVE TO HOLD. WINDS AT 050/12 PLACE A 9 KT TAILWIND FOR LNDG RWY 27. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS PLACES US RIGHT UP AGAINST OUR MAX TAILWIND LIMITS OF 10 KTS. IN THIS SITUATION; IT CREATES A FAIRLY LIKELY CHANCE OF LNDG WITH TAILWINDS OUT OF LIMITS WITH EITHER A SLIGHT CHANGE IN DIRECTION OR INTENSITY OF WIND. THE MORE PRUDENT SITUATION WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR THE ARPT TO RECONFIGURE FOR LNDG RWYS 4 AND 9. ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THIS; ENRTE ATC REQUIRED US AND SEVERAL OTHER ARRIVALS TO FLY THROUGH A CLOSING HOLE OF WX; RATHER THAN ALLOWING US TO PROCEED 20-30 MI SOUTH OF A VERY NARROW BAND OF STRONG STORMS. IN BOTH OF THESE SITUATIONS; ATC HAS APPEARED UNFLEXIBLE IN REROUTING OR RECONFIGURING FOR A MUCH MORE SAFE OPERATION. TOO MANY TIMES THE RESPONSE BY THE CTLR AMOUNTS TO DO IT MY WAY OR YOU CAN GO HOLD. IT'S TIME WE GET THE CTLRS BACK IN THE JUMPSEATS TO SEE THE OP FROM THE ACFT; AND ALSO ALLOW THEM TO REVIEW CURRENT OPERATING PRACTICES IN TSTM AND TURB AVOIDANCE AND ACFT PERFORMANCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.