SLOT TIME RESERVATIONS AND ATC DELAYS.
Synopsis
SLOT TIME RESERVATIONS AND ATC DELAYS.
Narrative
THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO SFAR 60 WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND AT BEST. IT IS THE FAR REQUIRING RESERVATIONS INTO SPECIFIC ARPTS. I HAVE LANDED MANY TIMES WITHOUT A HITCH AT MANY OF THE ARPTS THAT REQUIRE ADVANCED RESERVATION OPS SYS (AROS). WELL MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE AIM IS IT IS GOOD FOR AN HR OR IF AFTER 31 PAST THE HR IT IS GOOD FOR 30 MINS. WITHIN THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS WE TAXIED OUT OF TEB FOR AN XA50 SLOT INTO DCA BUT TOOK A 55 MIN ATC DELAY FOR OUR IFR OUT OF TEB. THIS PUT US ON THE GND AT DCA AT XC00Z 40 MINS PAST THE APPLICABLE WINDOW. THE REGS AND THE AIM UPON REVIEW DO NOT COVER ANYTHING IN REGARD TO ATC DELAYS. I WOULD ASSUME THIS MUST BE ACCOUNTED FOR BUT I NEED TO DIG INTO THIS AND MAKE SURE BEFORE I FIND MYSELF IN THIS SIT AGAIN. I RECOMMEND THE FAA CLARIFY THIS FOR US; SO WE NEED NOT MISS THIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAYS THE FAR'S REGARDING SLOT TIMES AND AROS ARE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND AND NEED TO BE REWRITTEN IN ORDER TO BE MORE EASILY COMPREHENDED. IN THIS INCIDENT; THE RPTR WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE ATC DELAY AND THE EFFECT IT WOULD HAVE ON HIS RESERVED SLOT TIME FOR LNDG. SUBSEQUENTLY; HE RESEARCHED THE EFFECT OF DELAYS AND NOW KNOWS THAT ATC DELAYS ARE NOT ADDED TO SCHEDULED SLOT TIMES. HE WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN FINALLY DEPARTING; AFTER LENGTHY DELAY; WITH THE LOOMING QUESTION IN HIS MIND ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF LNDG OUTSIDE OF HIS SCHEDULED TIME. THAT CONCERN BOTHERED HIM; BECAUSE HAD THE FAR BEEN UNDERSTANDABLE; THAT EXTRA CONCERN WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE WHEN HE SHOULD BE DEVOTING TOTAL ATTN TO THE FLYING.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.