Actually, I thought both parties handled themselves professionally here. If the pilot thought (apparently based on what his TCAS told him, once airborne), he wasn't given 4 miles separation, he has a legitamte reason to complain to the controller that didn't give him the required separation. On the other hand, if the controller believed (as he obviously did), that he provided adequate separation, he should have no problem with having the thing reviewed, which he obviously doesn't. (Although, I can certainly see the controller's point in saying that that's a, "serious accusation to make
on frequency.")
Compare this incident (both the pilot's behavior, and that of the controller)to the Air Canada clip where the pilot and controller have a battle of wills, on frequency, and see if you don't agree.
Thread:
http://www.liveatc.net/forums/index.php/topic,1836.0.html(Note to Fryy--Thanks for providing the clip, but I think the timing between the prior departure and Delta 140's takeoff clearance adds quite a bit of necesasary detail in judging how much distance may have actually existed between the two aircraft. Someone in the other thread on this subject(sorry, I forget who), tried to do a rough calculation based on the minute and ten seconds between the takeoff clearances. If that earlier exchange were preserved here, it might be more enlightening in a discussion somewhere down the road.)