rballty said:
He is not my buddy, just my college professor who teaches advanced Air Traffic Control courses. I am sure he hasn't read the Far's, or your version of the ATC Handbook, or flown a DC-6, so what does he know.
Well, not much apparently.
So far you and your buddy haven’t offered on iota of documentation that ATC is authorized to waive the 250Knot limit for reasons other than safety. So far all you’ve said is in effect is "My buddy is really really smart and he knows lots and lots of things, so he’s right and I’m right" Pardon me for being skeptical, but it takes something a little more substantial to convince me, and you haven’t posted a single thing of substance.
Have your buddy show you where in FAA Order 7110.65R (the ATC handbook) or in any other official FAA document controllers are authorized to waive the 250 knot rule for operational reasons. An authorization like that is not passed by word of mouth, if it exists, it’s documented, ask him where.
Have your buddy explain why, if ATC has the authority to waive the 250knot restriction, did they have a special test program where one ATC facility was given, for a limited time, the authority to waive the 250knot restriction? Did they forget ATC already had that authority? Or was it because they *didn’t* have the authority. Ask your buddy which explanation makes more sense.
Ask your buddy why Part 91 contains no less than 14 regulations which state "unless authorized by ATC....." yet 91.117(a) says "unless authorized by the
Adminstrator....." not
ATC Perhaps they really meant to say ATC, but they forgot how to spell it?
OK, now, take your AIM over to your buddy’s house and show it to him. Have him read 4-4-11(h)
h. Pilots are reminded that they are responsible for rejecting the application of speed adjustment by ATC if, in their opinion, it will cause them to exceed the maximum indicated airspeed prescribed by 14 CFR Section 91.117(a), (c) and (d). IN SUCH CASES, THE PILOT IS EXPECTED TO SO INFORM ATC. Pilots operating at or above 10,000 feet MSL who are issued speed adjustments which exceed 250 knots IAS and are subsequently cleared below 10,000 feet MSL are expected to comply with 14 CFR Section 91.117(a).
Now, ask your buddy why, If ATC is authorized to waive the 250 knot speed restriction, why does the AIM specifically instruct pilots to reject any clearance which would result in them exceeding that speed? Why is that?
Now, notice also that the AIM excerpt says to reject clearances which will cause them to exceed the speed limitations in 91.117 (a) and (c), yet it doesn’t mention 91.117 (b) Do you think it is because ATC may authorize exceeding 91.117 (b) but not 91.117 (a) and (c) ? Ya think? Ask your buddy what he thinks about that.
OK, now, hand the AIM back to your buddy and have him read 4-4-11(j)
j. For operations in a Class C and Class D surface area, ATC is authorized to request or approve a speed greater than the maximum indicated airspeeds prescribed for operation within that airspace (14 CFR Section 91.117(b)).
Now ask your buddy why the AIM would tell pilots that ATC can waive 91.117(b), but it doesn’t say anything about ATC waiving 91.117(a). Why is that? It was just discussing 91.117(a) 2 paragraphs ago, does your buddy think that the AIM authors just forgot to mention that ATC has the authority to waive 91.117(a)? Ask your buddy if he can find anywhere in the AIM where it mentions ATC having the authority to waive 91.117(a), anywhere at all.
Ok, now tell your buddy to dig out his ATC handbook and talk a look at the note at the end of 5-7-2
NOTE-
1. A pilot operating at or above 10,000 feet MSL on an assigned speed adjustment greater than 250 knots is expected to comply with 14 CFR Section 91.117(a) when cleared below 10,000 feet MSL, within domestic airspace, without notifying ATC. Pilots are expected to comply with the other provisions of 14 CFR Section 91.117 without notification.
Now have your buddy explain, why, if ATC is authorized to waive 91.117(a), does the ATC handbook tell the controller to expect a pilot to comply with 91.117(a) even though the controller has assigned a higher speed? Does your buddy have an explanation for that?
While your buddy is sitting there thinking about that, give him a copy of Order 8700.1, General Aviation Operations Handbook. If he’s an Aviation professor he probably has a copy of it somewhere. Have him flip to Chapter 49 section 1-1-3(g)(2)
.
(2) ATC may authorize the pilot to exceed 200 knots in addition to a clearance for a low approach. In no case may a pilot construe such an authorization or permission to exceed the § 91.117(a) 250-knot speed limitation below 10,000 feet mean sealevel (MSL).
Now, have your buddy explain that one.
I think I could pretty much rest my case now, as your buddy has a lot of explaining to do, stuff that he won’t ever be able to explain. But I figure that as long as I’m burying you, I might as well
really bury you. Here’s the deal. If you want to know what the original intent of a regulation was, you go to the federal register where that regulation, or an amendment of that regulation was published. The Federal Register will contain a discussion of the regulation or amendment of the regulation, explaining what and why. I have posted below the entry in the federal register for the last amendment of 91.117. In the discussion, it makes it very clear, in very explicit language that the administrator does *NOT* give ATC the authority to waive 91.117(a), and in fact the purpose of the amendment was to clarify that ATC does not have that authority, only the administrator has that authority.
SO, ask your buddy, if ATC has the authority to waive 91.117(a), why is it published in the Federal Register that ATC does not? Hmmmmmm??????
I’d really love to hear your Controller/Professor/expert Buddy explain that. Tell us again how "informed" your buddy is. Imagine that, some DC-6 driver with grease under his fingernails is more informed that your professor buddy. He must be the pride of your community college.
Volume 58, No. 157; Tuesday, August 17, 1993; Page 43553
14 CFR Part 91
[Docket No. 24456; Amendment No. 91-233]
Airspace Reclassification
AGENCY:
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION:
Final rule; correcting amendment.
SUMMARY:
This action corrects the Airspace Reclassification Final Rule effective September 16, 1993.
The Airspace Reclassification Rule inadvertently assigned the authority to air traffic controllers to allow aircraft operators to deviate from the maximum airspeed restriction below 10,000 feet. The authority to approve deviation from the speed limits contained in the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) rests with the Administrator, and the FAA did not intend to amend the approving authority. This action reestablishes the Administrator as the proper authority to permit waivers of aircraft speed. This action also corrects the inadvertent inclusion of Class B airspace in the maximum airspeed restriction effected by the Airspace Reclassification Final Rule.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This correcting amendment is effective as of September 16, 1993.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Messieurs Aaron I. Boxer or Joseph C. White, Air Traffic Rules Branch (ATP-230), Airspace - Rules and Aeronautical Information Division, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591, telephone (202) 267-8783.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On October 18, 1989, the FAA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Airspace Reclassification (54 FR 42916) which proposed, among other things, that the nomenclature of various airspace areas be renamed to conform with agreements with the International Civil Aviation Organization. On December 17, 1991, the FAA published a final rule on Airspace Reclassification (56 FR 65638) which becomes effective on September 16, 1993. Section 91.117 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) (14 CFR 91.117) was amended as part of this process.
Section 91.117(a) requires that any aircraft operated below 10,000 feet be flown no faster than 250 knots (288 m.p.h.) unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator of the FAA. Section 91.117(b) provides that, unless authorized or required by ATC, no person may operate an aircraft within an airport traffic area faster than 200 knots (230 m.p.h.), except for operations within a terminal control area. The preamble to the proposed airspace reclassification rule included a discussion of several recommendations received from the National Airspace Review (NAR) task group. NAR 1-2.1.3 recommended several changes to operating requirements in Terminal Control Areas (Class B airspace). Included in NAR 1-2.1.3 was a recommendation to delegate the authority to approve deviation from the 250 knot speed restriction in Class B airspace to air traffic control. The FAA had adopted other portions of NAR 1-2.2.3 through separate actions, but had not intended to incorporate the recommended delegation of authority or include Class B airspace in the 200 knot rule. However, the rule language amending Sec. 91.117(a) inadvertently included such redelegation, and that amending Sec. 91.117(b) inadvertently included the Class B airspace area.
This action establishes the Administrator as the sole approving authority for deviations from the aircraft speed restrictions contained in Sec. 91.117(a) and excludes the Class B airspace area from the speed restrictions contained in Sec. 91.117(b).
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 91
Air traffic control, Air transportation, Airmen, Airports, Aviation safety.
The Amendment
Accordingly, 14 CFR part 91 in effect as of September 16, 1993, is amended by making the following correcting amendments: