CSY Mon said:
Hmm, good news I guess.
In 27 years of flying with no violations, I am getting paranoid.
Hi CSY,
First, the good news. Most crossing restrictions are not for traffic, but rather airspace agreements. The LOAs between facilites basically states that you will deposit aircraft at such place at such altitude. This is why they usually could care less when you tell them you arn't going to make a restriction on a STAR unless it's a busy place.
Although LR is a current ATCer, I had heard in the last year or so that the FAA doesn't care if the controller tells you or not, and that they can still tag you if it gets reported.
In the past, I had heard that if they don't read you the little script that begins "NXXXX a possible pilot deviation has occured at XXXX altitude. For more information please contact this facility at XXX-XXX-XXXX during normal busniness hours" you were off the hook. There were even a few NTSB appeal decisions that went in this favor. But then I heard that the FAA got pissed at pilots getting off on this and changed to rules so they can burn you either way.
BUT the only way you get tagged is if A) the controller turns you in, which 99.9% won't because it's a HUGE hassle for them as well as you, B) Some Fed or ATC supe is looking over their shoulder when it happens or C) if the "snitch" goes off (the ATC computer program that calculates separation...basically 5 miles or 1000 feet separation for center airspace...different for terminal).
If C happens, you can bet you will hear about it because it prints out right at the ATC supervisors desk, even if it's 4.999 nm separation. It gets automatically forwarded to "Quality Assurance" which pulls the radar and comm tapes. If they find it was a controller error, thats that. But if they think it was pilot error, it gets forwarded to the FSDO.
The bad news: A NASA form does NOT prevent a finding of violation. It only suspends the penalty. The ding will still show up on your record. It is NOT a get out of jail free card.
Nu
