Tower security locks.

Attributes
ACN	186789
Time
Date	199108
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : flo
State Reference	SC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dtw
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 4
ASRS Report	186789
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

As a result of WX observations being contracted out to a private company which are located on a lower floor in the tower cabin attendant, and FAA security requiring locks being placed on the floor below the cabin attendant to prevent their access. Controllers are frequently placed in a position requiring them to leave the tower cabin attendant (control position) to open the door for visitors, airport personnel, cleaning crew, etc. The automatic door release installed over 8 months ago never has worked. Flo tower frequently has only 1 controller working all positions in the tower cabin attendant thus leaving the cabin attendant vacant for 30-90 seconds on a daily basis. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter stated a security lock release switch has been installed in the tower when the tower was renovated. Tower renovation was the cause of the delay to correct problem. Reporter advised in future to file a ucr if problems are brought to the attention of facility management and action is not taken.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR SECURITY LOCKS.

Narrative: AS A RESULT OF WX OBSERVATIONS BEING CONTRACTED OUT TO A PRIVATE COMPANY WHICH ARE LOCATED ON A LOWER FLOOR IN THE TWR CAB, AND FAA SECURITY REQUIRING LOCKS BEING PLACED ON THE FLOOR BELOW THE CAB TO PREVENT THEIR ACCESS. CTLRS ARE FREQUENTLY PLACED IN A POS REQUIRING THEM TO LEAVE THE TWR CAB (CTL POS) TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR VISITORS, ARPT PERSONNEL, CLEANING CREW, ETC. THE AUTO DOOR RELEASE INSTALLED OVER 8 MONTHS AGO NEVER HAS WORKED. FLO TWR FREQUENTLY HAS ONLY 1 CTLR WORKING ALL POSITIONS IN THE TWR CAB THUS LEAVING THE CAB VACANT FOR 30-90 SECONDS ON A DAILY BASIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATED A SECURITY LOCK RELEASE SWITCH HAS BEEN INSTALLED IN THE TWR WHEN THE TWR WAS RENOVATED. TWR RENOVATION WAS THE CAUSE OF THE DELAY TO CORRECT PROBLEM. RPTR ADVISED IN FUTURE TO FILE A UCR IF PROBLEMS ARE BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF FACILITY MGMNT AND ACTION IS NOT TAKEN.

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.