DAO1

Here's a letter posted on an ATC blog site. The Potomac Current and Undertow



November 13, 2008

If you fly into Washington-National Airport (DCA) then you need to read this letter. I am an air traffic controller at the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) in Warrenton, Virginia and I write to you anonymously in fear of retribution from my employer, the Federal Aviation Administration, for disclosing a serious safety issue that FAA management is knowingly turning a blind eye to.

On December 20, 2007, the FAA implemented a new procedure for aircraft approaching Washington-National Airport from the west. This procedure, called the ELDEE Arrival, directs aircraft, by way of their onboard flight computer, to fly a predetermined route and descend at set points from 65 miles west of DCA all the way to the airport, with minimal controller input. Conceivably, the concept of this procedure reduces workload for air traffic controllers and pilots while improving fuel efficiency for the airlines.

However, as soon as the ELDEE Arrival procedure was implemented airline pilots began complaining over the radio to air traffic controllers that they could not maneuver their aircraft to comply with the altitude crossing restrictions dictated by the procedure. On February 26, 2008, the FAA tried to address the problem by publishing a Notice To Airmen[1] (NOTAM) directing pilots to override their onboard flight computer by manually reprogramming several altitude crossing restrictions on the ELDEE Arrival. This “reprogramming” is done a couple hundred times every day by many flight crews trying to navigate by the ELDEE Arrival.

Here is the problem: The increase in flight crew workload created by the NOTAM requirements are causing airplanes to descend lower than the altitudes prescribed in the ELDEE Arrival procedure. And what is lower? Other airplanes! Airplanes that air traffic controllers are supposed to keep separated from one another. The FAA’s answer to this defective procedure—created by the FAA—is to take action against the pilot by filing a ‘pilot deviation report.’

Evidence to substantiate my claim is found in the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System database. This program, called ASRS for short, is used by pilots and air traffic controllers, to report—anonymously—deficiencies and discrepancies in the National Aviation System. The reports are forwarded to the FAA. Between March and June, 2008, there have been 10 ASRS reports from flight crews about being confused by the NOTAM and consequently flying their airplanes lower—hundreds of feet lower—than they are supposed to be on the ELDEE3 Arrival. Read the reports at this website: ASRS ELDEE3

Ten ASRS reports are but a small fraction of how many times EVERY DAY pilots make this mistake. (In other words, the majority of the occurrences are not even reported by pilots or air traffic controllers as required by existing rules.)

FAA management has tried to lay the blame on pilots for this flawed procedure and the NOTAM that has compounded the problem. FAA management can fix what they broke and they can do it TODAY by canceling the NOTAM that modifies the ELDEE Arrival and direct air traffic controllers to stop issuing “descend via” clearances on the ELDEE Arrival.

FAA management does not listen to air traffic controllers who raise safety concerns. FAA management ignores pilots who report safety concerns. Will the FAA listen to the people that fly on the airplanes into DCA? Airplanes, people, pilots, air traffic controllers: All set up for failure by the FAA. Why does the FAA make air traffic control a game of chance? Maybe they’ll answer the question to someone other than pilots or air traffic controllers.

The longer this safety issue is ignored the clearer it is to me that safety is not priority number one with the FAA at Potomac TRACON.

[1] A notice containing information (not known sufficiently in advance to publicize by other means) concerning the establishment, condition, or change in any component (facility, service, or procedure of, or hazard in the National Airspace System) the timely knowledge of which is essential to personnel concerned with flight operations.

EmbraerFlyer

Thanks for the info. I haven't done this one yet but is nice to know.

What if a pilot is given that and refuse the clearance, what action do you guys on the ATC end have set up for that. Do you just give us an hard altitude to descend to or penalty vectors. I would much rather have penalty vectors than have a deviation...

Thanks

EmbraerFlyer

Hetman

It's a mess. The crossing restrictions on the original were difficult at best to meet. The NOTAM deleted some and changed others from "at" to "at or above."

This, in theory, took the aircraft performance limitations into account, but required, as the man said, manual reprogramming of the FMS. It also required a pretty thorough and detailed (time consuming) study of the NOTAM. Jepp recently issued a revision to the ELDEE3 that reflects the NOTAMed changes, but the NOTAM is still included in the release package.

Fliifast

The FAA has been aware of this for awhile and has made changes to IAD, I am unaware of any changes to National. I've spoken with your Union people about your ASAP program but lost track of it over the past months with our own airline problems. Does ATC now have an ASAP program?

The ELDEE3 was written for performance 2 years ago but with the new fuel costs and the new cost index % slower than when the ELDEE3 was written the speed is slower and shallower. As a controller you've seen it.

We do have a national data base of problems just like this and the problems that get more hits from ASAP get corrected sooner. It's all about reporting safety concerns and with the FAA sitting in the meetings a committee corrective action has to be followed.

I'll try to get the data on the ELDEE3. Fli

DAO1

Pilot refuses clearance then the ELDEE route is flown and descent clearances are issued to remain in controllers airspace, eventually ending at ELDEE at 8000. No problem at all, no penalty given.

powrful1

I never had problems with the Eldee prior to the Notams to modify it. As long as you kept up with what was happening you are fine. Of course now it is easier than ever.

Lately, my aircraft has been leading the pack and I have been getting a direct to Eldee at best speed as long as we can to cross Eldee at 8,000. I remember when issues started coming up with this arrival controllers were asking questions on the radio about our performance and if VNAV equipped. The one thing I like is at least they cared!

Jughead

I fly this arrival a lot, and I'm just your average line pogue, but I don't understand the problem here. The letter states, "Here is the problem: The increase in flight crew workload created by the NOTAM requirements are causing airplanes to descend lower than the altitudes prescribed in the ELDEE Arrival procedure."

Why is that? If new crossing restrictions are issued via NOTAM, don't they supercede the published crossing restrictions? I've put those in the FMS (making the first restriction at, not at or above), and with some prior planning, updated winds, and maybe even a fake initial point 3nm from the first restriction, it seems to have worked fine for me.

What am I missing?

The only problems I have with this, and "descend via" arrivals in general is when ATC decides to randomly change crossing restrictions or speed adjustments I wasn't expecting...especially big speed reductions of 50 kts or more...usually answered with "we'll do our best - which do you need - the speed or the altitude?"

saab2000

I also do this arrival all the time. When it first was published I remember commenting that "This is a violation waiting to happen". It is an absurd procedure which increases pilot workload quite a bit at a time when a lot is going on.

I am not normally a whiner about procedures because it's part of our job. But this Eldee 3 arrival to DCA stinks and it stinks even worse that they NOTAMed the changes without a permanent change to the chart very quickly.

Still, it can be done safely and properly, but it needs to be briefed and studied before you get to the beginning of the arrival.

Kenny

It didn't help that it took Jepp about 7 months to change the damn chart. But at least that and the FMC database are now both up to date.