Narrative:

I was supervisor in tower providing training at the cabin attendant coordinator position. We were monitoring ground control during a departure rush. I observed local control put an air carrier X large transport into position and hold on runway 19. There was an air carrier Y medium large transport on a 4-5 mi final. This was not an immediate concern, however, the local controller let an atx small transport depart runway 27 first. It became apparent that it would be a tight slot for air carrier Y and air carrier X. I queried the local controller if he was going to have enough room. He stated 'hope so'. I said if he wasn't going to, to send air carrier Y around. Air carrier X rolled and it became obvious that we could lose runway separation if air carrier Y landed. I told the local controller to send air carrier Y around, by that time air carrier Y was on short final. Not a smooth operation. I am at a loss on how to prevent a recurrence since our traffic and runway confign as well as concern for delays require us to run these very close slots right down to the last possible moment. A more balanced flow of traffic smoothing out the rushes might help. Even a reexamining of separation standard of what is safe versus what is presently required. With a runway 2 mi long, why is it not possible to allow CAT III aircraft to occupy the runway at the same time as CAT ii aircraft. This would be better than having an air carrier go around on short final with a departure right in front of him.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS SUPVR IN TWR PROVIDING TRAINING AT THE CAB COORDINATOR POSITION. WE WERE MONITORING GND CTL DURING A DEP RUSH. I OBSERVED LCL CTL PUT AN ACR X LGT INTO POSITION AND HOLD ON RWY 19. THERE WAS AN ACR Y MLG ON A 4-5 MI FINAL. THIS WAS NOT AN IMMEDIATE CONCERN, HOWEVER, THE LCL CTLR LET AN ATX SMT DEPART RWY 27 FIRST. IT BECAME APPARENT THAT IT WOULD BE A TIGHT SLOT FOR ACR Y AND ACR X. I QUERIED THE LCL CTLR IF HE WAS GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH ROOM. HE STATED 'HOPE SO'. I SAID IF HE WASN'T GOING TO, TO SEND ACR Y AROUND. ACR X ROLLED AND IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT WE COULD LOSE RWY SEPARATION IF ACR Y LANDED. I TOLD THE LCL CTLR TO SEND ACR Y AROUND, BY THAT TIME ACR Y WAS ON SHORT FINAL. NOT A SMOOTH OPERATION. I AM AT A LOSS ON HOW TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE SINCE OUR TFC AND RWY CONFIGN AS WELL AS CONCERN FOR DELAYS REQUIRE US TO RUN THESE VERY CLOSE SLOTS RIGHT DOWN TO THE LAST POSSIBLE MOMENT. A MORE BALANCED FLOW OF TFC SMOOTHING OUT THE RUSHES MIGHT HELP. EVEN A REEXAMINING OF SEPARATION STANDARD OF WHAT IS SAFE VERSUS WHAT IS PRESENTLY REQUIRED. WITH A RWY 2 MI LONG, WHY IS IT NOT POSSIBLE TO ALLOW CAT III ACFT TO OCCUPY THE RWY AT THE SAME TIME AS CAT II ACFT. THIS WOULD BE BETTER THAN HAVING AN AIR CARRIER GO AROUND ON SHORT FINAL WITH A DEP RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM.

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.