Narrative:

ZFW does not provide headset override jacks for OJT instructors. These jacks allow the instructor to override the trainee's xmissions when safety is in jeopardy. Other facilities, both en route and terminal, have this safety feature. I feel it is a necessity to provide safe and effective service while performing OJT. There have been several instances while performing OJT, that the inability to override a trainee's transmission has nearly resulted in an operational error. The only thing preventing an operational error during these instances was luck. An OJT instructor should not have to rely on luck. The possibility of having jacks installed was looked into, and the answer received as that the facility was able to provide the jacks but unwilling to do so. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter gave suggestion concerning override jacks to the facility controller representative (qtp), but it appears that he did not pass information to facility management, or discuss it with other members of the committee. Reporter filed a ucr which got the attention of facility manager, who supposedly questioned the reporter about filing it without discussing it first with supervisor. Facility response was that it would cost too much and take too long to do this. They also stated that icss equipment was scheduled for the facility within 18 months and that would have preemption capability. Facility also tested a box that supposedly would do the same thing, but that did not work out. Reporter believes that this is a safety issue that should be rectified.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR COMPLAINS THAT FACILITY DOES NOT HAVE ANY OVERRIDE HEADSET JACKS FOR OJT INSTRUCTION.

Narrative: ZFW DOES NOT PROVIDE HEADSET OVERRIDE JACKS FOR OJT INSTRUCTORS. THESE JACKS ALLOW THE INSTRUCTOR TO OVERRIDE THE TRAINEE'S XMISSIONS WHEN SAFETY IS IN JEOPARDY. OTHER FACILITIES, BOTH ENRTE AND TERMINAL, HAVE THIS SAFETY FEATURE. I FEEL IT IS A NECESSITY TO PROVIDE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE SVC WHILE PERFORMING OJT. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL INSTANCES WHILE PERFORMING OJT, THAT THE INABILITY TO OVERRIDE A TRAINEE'S XMISSION HAS NEARLY RESULTED IN AN OPERROR. THE ONLY THING PREVENTING AN OPERROR DURING THESE INSTANCES WAS LUCK. AN OJT INSTRUCTOR SHOULD NOT HAVE TO RELY ON LUCK. THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING JACKS INSTALLED WAS LOOKED INTO, AND THE ANSWER RECEIVED AS THAT THE FACILITY WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE THE JACKS BUT UNWILLING TO DO SO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR GAVE SUGGESTION CONCERNING OVERRIDE JACKS TO THE FACILITY CTLR REPRESENTATIVE (QTP), BUT IT APPEARS THAT HE DID NOT PASS INFO TO FACILITY MGMNT, OR DISCUSS IT WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. RPTR FILED A UCR WHICH GOT THE ATTN OF FACILITY MGR, WHO SUPPOSEDLY QUESTIONED THE RPTR ABOUT FILING IT WITHOUT DISCUSSING IT FIRST WITH SUPVR. FACILITY RESPONSE WAS THAT IT WOULD COST TOO MUCH AND TAKE TOO LONG TO DO THIS. THEY ALSO STATED THAT ICSS EQUIP WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE FACILITY WITHIN 18 MONTHS AND THAT WOULD HAVE PREEMPTION CAPABILITY. FACILITY ALSO TESTED A BOX THAT SUPPOSEDLY WOULD DO THE SAME THING, BUT THAT DID NOT WORK OUT. RPTR BELIEVES THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE RECTIFIED.

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.