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Too much time spent completing flight progress strips and less attention devoted to controlling traffic.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 105065 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198902 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zlc |
| State Reference | UT |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 6 controller radar : 5 |
| ASRS Report | 105065 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
(Background) since 2/84 ZLC is the only GS-13 level ii center in the lower 48 states. The other 18 centers are GS-14 level III. What this means is that ZLC controllers are not only paid less, but are isolated from the rest of the ATC system. ZLC controllers cannot transfer to other centers because this would be a promotion. Further more, ZLC controllers are not eligible for supervisory jobs in any other center because this would mean a 2-STEP increase which is prohibited. The FAA differentiates between level ii and III centers based solely on total facility traffic count. In order for ZLC to be upgraded to a level III facility as are the other centers we need to validate a 10% increase in traffic count. (Problem) to validate the traffic a controller must fill out a blank strip or put the circumstances of the count on the existing strip. This is quite time consuming and results in the controller's attention being diverted from his traffic in order to do his bookkeeping. In the last month the ZLC controllers have become obsessed with gaining parity with our counterparts in the rest of the country. The inevitable result being that controllers are spending more and more time filling out blank strips in lieu of watching the scope. As we get closer to the needed count the strip writing frenzy will only increase with less and less attention being paid to one's traffic, a situation this controller and others have already observed.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: TOO MUCH TIME SPENT COMPLETING FLT PROGRESS STRIPS AND LESS ATTENTION DEVOTED TO CONTROLLING TRAFFIC.
Narrative: (BACKGROUND) SINCE 2/84 ZLC IS THE ONLY GS-13 LEVEL II CENTER IN THE LOWER 48 STATES. THE OTHER 18 CENTERS ARE GS-14 LEVEL III. WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT ZLC CTLRS ARE NOT ONLY PAID LESS, BUT ARE ISOLATED FROM THE REST OF THE ATC SYS. ZLC CTLRS CANNOT TRANSFER TO OTHER CENTERS BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE A PROMOTION. FURTHER MORE, ZLC CTLRS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SUPERVISORY JOBS IN ANY OTHER CENTER BECAUSE THIS WOULD MEAN A 2-STEP INCREASE WHICH IS PROHIBITED. THE FAA DIFFERENTIATES BTWN LEVEL II AND III CENTERS BASED SOLELY ON TOTAL FAC TFC COUNT. IN ORDER FOR ZLC TO BE UPGRADED TO A LEVEL III FAC AS ARE THE OTHER CENTERS WE NEED TO VALIDATE A 10% INCREASE IN TFC COUNT. (PROB) TO VALIDATE THE TFC A CTLR MUST FILL OUT A BLANK STRIP OR PUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE COUNT ON THE EXISTING STRIP. THIS IS QUITE TIME CONSUMING AND RESULTS IN THE CTLR'S ATTN BEING DIVERTED FROM HIS TFC IN ORDER TO DO HIS BOOKKEEPING. IN THE LAST MONTH THE ZLC CTLRS HAVE BECOME OBSESSED WITH GAINING PARITY WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS IN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. THE INEVITABLE RESULT BEING THAT CTLRS ARE SPENDING MORE AND MORE TIME FILLING OUT BLANK STRIPS IN LIEU OF WATCHING THE SCOPE. AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE NEEDED COUNT THE STRIP WRITING FRENZY WILL ONLY INCREASE WITH LESS AND LESS ATTN BEING PAID TO ONE'S TFC, A SITUATION THIS CTLR AND OTHERS HAVE ALREADY OBSERVED.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.