Gulfstream V / G500 / G550
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Glider
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200; Flight Crew Total 23500; Flight Crew Type 8500
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Procedure
First come first served in the ATC environment is not always the safest method to apply; but ATC can't seem to get around this. Had the SUS Tower delayed a C-172 departure one minute; this incident would not have happened. Three airplanes were waiting to depart from SUS. A C-172; a Cessna Caravan; and our G-550. We were to be number three. The Cessna 172 was cleared to takeoff first off Runway 26R; with a straight out departure; with suitable spacing; the Caravan was cleared to takeoff next from Runway 26R with a left turnout. Even though there is a noise abatement restriction that delays the left turnout; the Caravan was asked to expedite his turn so that we could be released; as stated by the Tower. As soon as he turned away; we were cleared for takeoff. Now the interesting part. Our clearance off Runway 26L was runway heading and maintain 2;500 FT. We took off and complied with the clearance. We set the autothrottles to maintain 200 KTS and engaged the autopilot to fly the runway heading. As we climbed; we got a TA on the Cessna 172; who was drifting in front of us. I turned a little left to avoid it. The TA went away as we passed the 172. He was also apparently supposed to level at 2;000 FT but did not; and we got another TA. This quickly went away as we gained distance from the Cessna 172. We were then handed off to [T75] (St. Louis) Departure. This Controller told us to maintain 2;500 FT; and to turn right to a 360 degree heading. He also told us to watch for 3;000 foot traffic inbound to STL. Well; the right turn put us in conflict with the Cessna 172 again; who apparently had started a climb; and resulted in yet another TA with it. As this was happening we then got a TA on the 3;000 foot traffic. Then a monitor vertical speed RA on the C-172. I turned away from the Cessna 172; stayed under the 3;000 foot traffic; a twin engine of some kind and cleared the traffic. Shortly there after we were cleared higher and on our way.
Corporate jet departing SUS experienced a TCAS TA/RA with a preceding C172 departure and then with a STL inbound; the reporter listing ATC's 'first come first serve' procedure as problematic.