Narrative:

On 10/tue/89, controllers in the west area at mem ARTCC were assigned to watch 2 radar scopes. The scopes were separated by approximately 15'. As required by regulations, scopes must be constantly monitored and traffic advisories issued when appropriate. A controller cannot do his or her job when you must walk back and forth between 2 radar scopes. The radar coverage in the airspace involved is limited below 6000'. VFR aircraft climbing are often seen with barely sufficient time to issue traffic to IFR aircraft if scope is closely monitored. The procedure of watching 2 scopes should not be allowed to continue. The FAA says it is ok and necessary so that a meal break pay does not have to be made (about $6). Any compromise to air safety is, in my view, totally unacceptable. A controller's performance was closely scrutinized over a crash in calif within the last 2 yrs. In question is whether the controller saw the VFR target. Why are we purposely put into a position in which a controller can't monitor for traffic and possibly avert an aircraft accident? Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter stated that combining the 2 radar sectors started in 10/89 and is now an ongoing practice. The scopes he refers to are in line, so it requires leaving one position and walking down the line of radar scopes to observe the other scope. The area supervisors admit this practice was started to avoid missed lunch premium pay. The reporter stated a ucr was filed, however management said this practice did not fall under the ucr program.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMBINED RADAR SECTORS 15' APART.

Narrative: ON 10/TUE/89, CTLRS IN THE W AREA AT MEM ARTCC WERE ASSIGNED TO WATCH 2 RADAR SCOPES. THE SCOPES WERE SEPARATED BY APPROX 15'. AS REQUIRED BY REGS, SCOPES MUST BE CONSTANTLY MONITORED AND TFC ADVISORIES ISSUED WHEN APPROPRIATE. A CTLR CANNOT DO HIS OR HER JOB WHEN YOU MUST WALK BACK AND FORTH BTWN 2 RADAR SCOPES. THE RADAR COVERAGE IN THE AIRSPACE INVOLVED IS LIMITED BELOW 6000'. VFR ACFT CLBING ARE OFTEN SEEN WITH BARELY SUFFICIENT TIME TO ISSUE TFC TO IFR ACFT IF SCOPE IS CLOSELY MONITORED. THE PROC OF WATCHING 2 SCOPES SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE. THE FAA SAYS IT IS OK AND NECESSARY SO THAT A MEAL BREAK PAY DOES NOT HAVE TO BE MADE (ABOUT $6). ANY COMPROMISE TO AIR SAFETY IS, IN MY VIEW, TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. A CTLR'S PERFORMANCE WAS CLOSELY SCRUTINIZED OVER A CRASH IN CALIF WITHIN THE LAST 2 YRS. IN QUESTION IS WHETHER THE CTLR SAW THE VFR TARGET. WHY ARE WE PURPOSELY PUT INTO A POS IN WHICH A CTLR CAN'T MONITOR FOR TFC AND POSSIBLY AVERT AN ACFT ACCIDENT? ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR STATED THAT COMBINING THE 2 RADAR SECTORS STARTED IN 10/89 AND IS NOW AN ONGOING PRACTICE. THE SCOPES HE REFERS TO ARE IN LINE, SO IT REQUIRES LEAVING ONE POS AND WALKING DOWN THE LINE OF RADAR SCOPES TO OBSERVE THE OTHER SCOPE. THE AREA SUPVRS ADMIT THIS PRACTICE WAS STARTED TO AVOID MISSED LUNCH PREMIUM PAY. THE RPTR STATED A UCR WAS FILED, HOWEVER MGMNT SAID THIS PRACTICE DID NOT FALL UNDER THE UCR PROGRAM.

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.