A80 CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING A TWR SUPVR'S DECISION TO DEP THREE RWYS; RESULTING IN DELAYED TURNS AND OPERATIONAL CONFUSION.

Narrative

AT ATL WE HAVE WHAT IS CALLED A 'DEP SPLIT.' THIS SPLIT DETERMINES WHICH DEPS COME OFF WHICH RWY; IE; N AND W DEPS OFF OF RWY 8R AND S AND E DEPS OFF OF RWY 9L. SINCE RWY 10/28 OPENED IN MAY OF 2006; EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE NO PROCS DEVELOPED PRIOR TO ITS OPENING TO USE IT AS A DEP RWY; WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING A 'TRIPLE DEP' SPLIT AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY. THIS IS GENERALLY A FIASCO; WHICH IN MY OPINION ONLY DELAYS ACFT MORE THAN IT EXPEDITES THEM; BUT THAT IS ANOTHER STORY. ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY; THERE WAS A LARGE AREA OF LEVEL 3 AND HIGHER PRECIP APCHING THE ARPT FROM THE SE. THE SUPVR IN THE TWR ADVISED HIS INTENTION TO BEGIN DEPARTING ALL 3 RWYS (8R; 9L AND 10) IN ABOUT 15 MINS. E AND S DEPS WOULD BE COMING OFF RWY 9L AND W DEPS WOULD BE COMING OFF RWY 10. I; AND OTHER CTLRS; TOLD THE APCH SUPVRS THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN. IF WE STAYED ON 2 RWYS (8R AND 9L) THE E DEPS COULD COME OFF RWY 9L STRAIGHT OUT AND STAY N OF THE WX AND THE S DEPS COULD COME OFF ON A 180 DEG HDG AND STAY W OF THE WX. IF THERE WERE W DEPS COMING OFF RWY 10; THE S DEPS WOULD ALSO HAVE TO GO STRAIGHT OUT; MEANING THEY WOULD HAVE TO FLY 25 MI OR SO E BEFORE THEY COULD TURN S BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL 3 AND 4 WX SE OF THE ATL ARPT. DESPITE CTLR OBJECTIONS; THIS DEP SPLIT OCCURRED AND RESULTED IN JUST WHAT WE WARNED WOULD HAPPEN. S DEPS WERE HAVING TO FLY 25 OR MORE MI E TO GET AROUND THE WX; THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO CLB BECAUSE THEY WERE HAVING TO CROSS THE ARR AREA TWICE; AND IT QUICKLY TURNED INTO AN UNSAFE MESS. I THEN SUGGESTED THAT IF THEY WERE GOING TO INSIST THAT WE DO THIS OP; GIVE THE S DEPS OFF OF RWY 9L THE FREQ OF THE RWY 10 CTLR; WHICH WOULD ALLOW HIM TO TURN THEM S PRIOR TO THE WX IF HE DIDN'T HAVE TFC. I WAS TOLD 'WE DON'T DO IT THAT WAY.'