San controller describes a session where the local controller does not issue a specific clearance to...

Narrative:

At approximately XX00 zulu time aircraft X; called for an offshore transition. The controller was overwhelmed with light to moderate VFR workload and was unable to clear the aircraft through the airspace or to pass along an appropriate clearance to the aircraft. The aircraft then proceeded to go through the airspace without a clearance offshore at approximately 500 feet. The aircraft then proceeded to call the tower for a clearance through the bay for a transition and verified that they violated the airspace. Immediately following the aircraft; aircraft Y; called for a similar transition. The request was denied by the controller on a clear VFR day. The controller does not understand or know the proper separation between two VFR aircraft. There was no altitude separation which could have been provided; visual separation on a clear VFR day; or radar separation. It was clearly unsafe nor order or expeditious to allow violators through the airspace and then to not be able to have the knowledge of the proper separation available.the controller needs to have remedial training. It is inexcusable for the controller to not know VFR separation rules or for the controller/pilot communication to get so bad that the aircraft simply violates the airspace due to the lack of proper communication from the tower controller. This isn't the first time this controller has had issues and it is a known issue. It is not the responsibility of the controller-in-charge to watch constantly what the local controller position is doing in order to avoid a possible incident or accident while not being able to focus on their own duties.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SAN Controller describes a session where the local controller does not issue a specific clearance to a VFR request; the aircraft does the request anyway and violates airspace. Another aircraft does the same thing right afterward; and it doesn't affect the local controller.

Narrative: At approximately XX00 zulu time Aircraft X; called for an offshore transition. The controller was overwhelmed with light to moderate VFR workload and was unable to clear the aircraft through the airspace or to pass along an appropriate clearance to the aircraft. The aircraft then proceeded to go through the airspace without a clearance offshore at approximately 500 feet. The aircraft then proceeded to call the tower for a clearance through the bay for a transition and verified that they violated the airspace. Immediately following the aircraft; Aircraft Y; called for a similar transition. The request was denied by the controller on a clear VFR day. The controller does not understand or know the proper separation between two VFR aircraft. There was no altitude separation which could have been provided; visual separation on a clear VFR day; or radar separation. It was clearly unsafe nor order or expeditious to allow violators through the airspace and then to not be able to have the knowledge of the proper separation available.The controller needs to have remedial training. It is inexcusable for the controller to not know VFR separation rules or for the controller/pilot communication to get so bad that the aircraft simply violates the airspace due to the lack of proper communication from the tower controller. This isn't the first time this controller has had issues and it is a known issue. It is not the responsibility of the Controller-in-Charge to watch constantly what the Local Controller position is doing in order to avoid a possible incident or accident while not being able to focus on their own duties.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Attributes
ACN	1229429
Time
Date	201501
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	SAN.Tower
State Reference	CA
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft Low Wing 1 Eng Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft High Wing 1 Eng Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	Other / Unknown
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 5.5
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Airspace Violation All Types Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

San controller describes a session where the local controller does not issue a specific clearance to a VFR request; the aircraft does the request anyway and violates airspace. Another aircraft does the same thing right afterward; and it doesn't affect the local controller.