Due to budgetary constraints, facility is working short staffed.

Attributes
ACN	119914
Time
Date	198908
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zid
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	119914
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

This is for the purpose of bringing attention to the recurring staffing problems plaguing indianapolis ARTCC. In area 'C' minimum operational staffing is 17 people. Usually it requires several people on overtime to achieve this number. However, it has come to pass that the great lakes region has a budget deficit. As a result, most overtime funds have been eliminated. The net result is shifts with 14 people when 17 is the minimum. Training is stopped to try to alleviate the problem of people working more than 2 consecutive hours. The net result has been fatigued controllers, which becomes evident in marked increases in sick leave and low morale. This situation has caused reduced efficiency of the system, and most seriously, has reduced the margin of safety significantly. The only remedy is restoration of enough overtime funds to provide safety and to train people to bolster staffing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DUE TO BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS, FAC IS WORKING SHORT STAFFED.

Narrative: THIS IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF BRINGING ATTN TO THE RECURRING STAFFING PROBLEMS PLAGUING INDIANAPOLIS ARTCC. IN AREA 'C' MINIMUM OPERATIONAL STAFFING IS 17 PEOPLE. USUALLY IT REQUIRES SEVERAL PEOPLE ON OVERTIME TO ACHIEVE THIS NUMBER. HOWEVER, IT HAS COME TO PASS THAT THE GREAT LAKES REGION HAS A BUDGET DEFICIT. AS A RESULT, MOST OVERTIME FUNDS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED. THE NET RESULT IS SHIFTS WITH 14 PEOPLE WHEN 17 IS THE MINIMUM. TRAINING IS STOPPED TO TRY TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM OF PEOPLE WORKING MORE THAN 2 CONSECUTIVE HOURS. THE NET RESULT HAS BEEN FATIGUED CTLRS, WHICH BECOMES EVIDENT IN MARKED INCREASES IN SICK LEAVE AND LOW MORALE. THIS SITUATION HAS CAUSED REDUCED EFFICIENCY OF THE SYSTEM, AND MOST SERIOUSLY, HAS REDUCED THE MARGIN OF SAFETY SIGNIFICANTLY. THE ONLY REMEDY IS RESTORATION OF ENOUGH OVERTIME FUNDS TO PROVIDE SAFETY AND TO TRAIN PEOPLE TO BOLSTER STAFFING.

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.