Narrative:

Aircraft X was inbound and cleared to land on RY02 meanwhile aircraft Y called me (tower) from the east VFR requesting landing at cha parking at [FBO] and made an inaudible reference to taxiway hotel (the reference to hotel didn't register with me at the time). The military contract is at [FBO] east so I coordinated use of RY33 for aircraft Y and then cleared them to land on RY33.also during this time; aircraft Z was inbound from the southeast on the VOR RY33 for a circling approach. Our circle procedures for RY2 operations are for the aircraft to overfly the airport west for left traffic to RY02; which I issued to the pilot. Also during this time I'm looking at my notepad; I previously wrote down the traffic in order of sequence which I normally do when I notice them inbound but the new 'memory aid memo' requires us to now check mark the call sign when cleared. We do not have a podium at local so I'm now standing and bending over looking down at the counter to check my call signs after clearing them; I'm also reviewing my complex 'memory aid' strips because I'm second guessing if I had flipped them correctly because I had previously coordinated the use of RY33.when I look up aircraft Y (flight of 3) is going through final to RY33 so I ask would they rather have RY02; they do; so I issue instructions to follow the aircraft on short final RY02 and I cleared them but I do not remember if I gave them cautionary wake turbulence. After landing; aircraft X is exiting right on east cross RY33 at which time I forgot to obtain the 'crossing RY33' strip from ground control to place over my green memory aid strips so I get that strip and place it over my green strips and I look up and my 1st of 3 helicopters is turning onto foxtrot (which goes to hotel) without exit instructions; it then dawns on me the pilot thinks he should be parking at [FBO] west and not where the military contract is at [FBO] east on the opposite side of the airport. Tower notices my aircraft has crossed RY33 and is asking off the landline is 33 back to them so I say no because the helicopters want to air/hover taxi to [FBO] east and cross RY33. I then look out the window to check aircraft X and he is circling wrong; the pilot circled south and is on a right base instead of 'circle west overfly the field' as I stated. My helicopters are on the runway so I tell aircraft Z cleared missed approach only and I looked down to check my aircraft Z call sign after clearance like the memo says; I did not see what altitude the aircraft was over the runway when executing the missed but they appeared to be at a sufficient enough altitude (high enough) that it didn't alarm me. I kept the helicopters on the ground and didn't let them air taxi until aircraft X passed. After aircraft X departed I then issued an air taxi clearance to the helicopters; I coordinated the taxi with ground but not over the landline. An additional new memo that is not attached now requires all coordination be on the landline.all coordination between ground and local should not be required on the landline. There are certain traffic situations that it would cause too much work load. For example; if the cab coordinator position (cc) is open/separate from local (local control); does that mean that to cross a runway the cc has to call ground on the line and then call local on the line? That's a lot of not needed override in ones ear especially during times of higher traffic volume. Furthermore; the attached memo was placed on the controllers without training on appropriate use and also without any approval from the local safety council or the SOP committee. Controller input on the procedure was totally ignored. The result was complicated memory aid requirements that I assume had good intentions but totally missed the mark for what they were intended; the 'memory aids' negate the reason for which they were designed by causing controllers to be distracted from looking out the window. Furthermore; they are visually confusing. For example; why would stating a runway is active be in bold green while an inactive runway is bold red? Everything in life color related - green means go; red means stop. The memory aid requirement is just too complex and confusing and should be simplified. It is a memory aid that means the ultimate memory responsibility is the controllers and a simple but effective aid should be designed to help not confuse.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHA Tower Controller reported of an unsafe situation related to traffic in the pattern and ground traffic. Reporter sited the memory aides as being visually distracting and causing controllers to be distracted from looking out the window.

Narrative: Aircraft X was inbound and cleared to land on RY02 meanwhile Aircraft Y called me (tower) from the east VFR requesting landing at CHA parking at [FBO] and made an inaudible reference to taxiway hotel (the reference to hotel didn't register with me at the time). The military contract is at [FBO] east so I coordinated use of RY33 for Aircraft Y and then cleared them to land on RY33.Also during this time; Aircraft Z was inbound from the Southeast on the VOR RY33 for a circling approach. Our circle procedures for RY2 operations are for the aircraft to overfly the airport west for left traffic to RY02; which I issued to the pilot. Also during this time I'm looking at my notepad; I previously wrote down the traffic in order of sequence which I normally do when I notice them inbound but the new 'memory aid memo' requires us to now check mark the call sign when cleared. We do not have a podium at local so I'm now standing and bending over looking down at the counter to check my call signs after clearing them; I'm also reviewing my complex 'memory aid' strips because I'm second guessing if I had flipped them correctly because I had previously coordinated the use of RY33.When I look up Aircraft Y (flight of 3) is going through final to RY33 so I ask would they rather have RY02; they do; so I issue instructions to follow the aircraft on short final RY02 and I cleared them but I do not remember if I gave them cautionary wake turbulence. After landing; Aircraft X is exiting right on E cross RY33 at which time I forgot to obtain the 'crossing RY33' strip from Ground Control to place over my green memory aid strips so I get that strip and place it over my green strips and I look up and my 1st of 3 helicopters is turning onto foxtrot (which goes to hotel) without exit instructions; it then dawns on me the pilot thinks he should be parking at [FBO] West and not where the military contract is at [FBO] East on the opposite side of the airport. Tower notices my aircraft has crossed RY33 and is asking off the landline is 33 back to them so I say no because the helicopters want to air/hover taxi to [FBO] East and cross RY33. I then look out the window to check Aircraft X and he is circling wrong; the pilot circled south and is on a right base instead of 'circle west overfly the field' as I stated. My helicopters are on the runway so I tell Aircraft Z cleared missed approach only and I looked down to check my Aircraft Z call sign after clearance like the memo says; I did not see what altitude the aircraft was over the runway when executing the missed but they appeared to be at a sufficient enough altitude (high enough) that it didn't alarm me. I kept the helicopters on the ground and didn't let them air taxi until Aircraft X passed. After Aircraft X departed I then issued an air taxi clearance to the helicopters; I coordinated the taxi with ground but not over the landline. An additional new memo that is not attached now requires all coordination be on the landline.All coordination between ground and local should not be required on the landline. There are certain traffic situations that it would cause too much work load. For example; if the Cab Coordinator position (CC) is open/separate from local (LC); does that mean that to cross a runway the CC has to call ground on the line and then call local on the line? That's a lot of not needed override in ones ear especially during times of higher traffic volume. Furthermore; the attached memo was placed on the controllers without training on appropriate use and also without any approval from the local safety council or the SOP committee. Controller input on the procedure was totally ignored. The result was complicated memory aid requirements that I assume had good intentions but totally missed the mark for what they were intended; the 'memory aids' negate the reason for which they were designed by causing controllers to be distracted from looking out the window. Furthermore; they are visually confusing. For example; why would stating a runway is active be in bold green while an inactive runway is bold red? Everything in life color related - green means go; red means stop. The memory aid requirement is just too complex and confusing and should be simplified. It is a memory aid that means the ultimate memory responsibility is the controllers and a simple but effective aid should be designed to help not confuse.

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.