Citation V/Ultra/Encore (C560)
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure; Human Factors
A Citation V departed ZZZ on a RNAV arrival to the destination. As he was climbing; he told me that he was unable RVAV DPs and STARs and could not fly the assigned arrival. This was the second time in twenty minutes I had pilots tell me in the air that they were cleared on a route they could not fly. I said; 'this is really something that should be handled on the ground;' and proceeded to fix the route. He relayed that he informed the Tower he could not accept RNAV arrival. They're response was something like; 'We are a little busy and we do not have a route for you; they will fix it in the air.' The Tower launched him on a route he knew he could not fly and told him to get a new route from the Center in the air. This is unacceptable. Recommendation; inform the Tower that 'fixing it in the air' is not a viable option.
Enroute Controller voiced frustration with a local Tower who knowingly issued RNAV procedures to an aircraft that was not equipped to fly RNAV procedures.