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Fogged tower windows due to air conditioning unit.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 166032 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199012 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : psc |
| State Reference | WA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| ASRS Report | 166032 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | other physical facility |
Narrative:
During my entire shift the windows in the tower cabin attendant were fogged up. This condition was caused by our environmental unit which also kept the inside temperature uncomfortably cool. (The OAT was 13 degree). There has been problems with this unit since it was installed 2 yrs ago. This is the latest in its problems. The only way I could see out of the windows was to use a squeegee to clear off different areas. Traffic was light because we were IFR with strong winds. If the WX wasn't so bad, it could have been very dangerous. The ducts and the thermostat are both located on the ceiling. The air blows onto the windows first and then down and out. The whole system is controled by computer and if its not 7-3:30 mon-fri it can only be controled by modem from spokane, wa. I'm not familiar with heating/cooling units, so I'm unable to recommend a solution. It does however, need to be fixed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter stated that FAA maintenance had filed a ucr on the air conditioning unit. Solution to problem was to turn the heat up. Problem still occurring. Analyst recommended controller use ucr system.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FOGGED TWR WINDOWS DUE TO AIR CONDITIONING UNIT.
Narrative: DURING MY ENTIRE SHIFT THE WINDOWS IN THE TWR CAB WERE FOGGED UP. THIS CONDITION WAS CAUSED BY OUR ENVIRONMENTAL UNIT WHICH ALSO KEPT THE INSIDE TEMPERATURE UNCOMFORTABLY COOL. (THE OAT WAS 13 DEG). THERE HAS BEEN PROBS WITH THIS UNIT SINCE IT WAS INSTALLED 2 YRS AGO. THIS IS THE LATEST IN ITS PROBS. THE ONLY WAY I COULD SEE OUT OF THE WINDOWS WAS TO USE A SQUEEGEE TO CLR OFF DIFFERENT AREAS. TFC WAS LIGHT BECAUSE WE WERE IFR WITH STRONG WINDS. IF THE WX WASN'T SO BAD, IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS. THE DUCTS AND THE THERMOSTAT ARE BOTH LOCATED ON THE CEILING. THE AIR BLOWS ONTO THE WINDOWS FIRST AND THEN DOWN AND OUT. THE WHOLE SYS IS CTLED BY COMPUTER AND IF ITS NOT 7-3:30 MON-FRI IT CAN ONLY BE CTLED BY MODEM FROM SPOKANE, WA. I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH HEATING/COOLING UNITS, SO I'M UNABLE TO RECOMMEND A SOLUTION. IT DOES HOWEVER, NEED TO BE FIXED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATED THAT FAA MAINT HAD FILED A UCR ON THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. SOLUTION TO PROB WAS TO TURN THE HEAT UP. PROB STILL OCCURRING. ANALYST RECOMMENDED CTLR USE UCR SYSTEM.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.