Narrative:

Was working mlc hi radar with a manual controller. We were advised our sector was 'yellow' and 1 more aircraft would put us in the 'red.' the colors are representative of traffic density as stated by our traffic management unit. My manual controller was off line for a long time in a heated conversation with the sector next to us. I needed his help so I tried to find out what had happened so we could get on with the job at hand. I then found out that the individual on the other end of the line was a supervisor, who works the minimum amount of time with live traffic which is 16 hours a month. Since their proficiency is low we have a center directive that states supervisors or staff that maintain minimum proficiency shall not work moderate or greater traffic. Our sector was busy and most of our traffic was going to their sector so they were going to be greater than moderate. I informed my supervisor that not only was the next sector operating in contradiction to a directive, but the individuals' inability to work in a cooperative and professional manner was making our operation much less safe. My supervisor ignored me, since telling another supervisor that they might be in over their head would be a delicate situation to handle. While we made it through this time, it wasn't as smooth as it could have been. Even though I had done more than my job in informing my supervisor of the situation if an error would have occurred it still would have been my fault. This was and still is an unnecessary distraction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SUPVR CTLR PROFICIENCY IS SAFETY PROB.

Narrative: WAS WORKING MLC HI RADAR WITH A MANUAL CTLR. WE WERE ADVISED OUR SECTOR WAS 'YELLOW' AND 1 MORE ACFT WOULD PUT US IN THE 'RED.' THE COLORS ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF TFC DENSITY AS STATED BY OUR TFC MGMNT UNIT. MY MANUAL CTLR WAS OFF LINE FOR A LONG TIME IN A HEATED CONVERSATION WITH THE SECTOR NEXT TO US. I NEEDED HIS HELP SO I TRIED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED SO WE COULD GET ON WITH THE JOB AT HAND. I THEN FOUND OUT THAT THE INDIVIDUAL ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE WAS A SUPVR, WHO WORKS THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME WITH LIVE TFC WHICH IS 16 HRS A MONTH. SINCE THEIR PROFICIENCY IS LOW WE HAVE A CTR DIRECTIVE THAT STATES SUPVRS OR STAFF THAT MAINTAIN MINIMUM PROFICIENCY SHALL NOT WORK MODERATE OR GREATER TFC. OUR SECTOR WAS BUSY AND MOST OF OUR TFC WAS GOING TO THEIR SECTOR SO THEY WERE GOING TO BE GREATER THAN MODERATE. I INFORMED MY SUPVR THAT NOT ONLY WAS THE NEXT SECTOR OPERATING IN CONTRADICTION TO A DIRECTIVE, BUT THE INDIVIDUALS' INABILITY TO WORK IN A COOPERATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL MANNER WAS MAKING OUR OP MUCH LESS SAFE. MY SUPVR IGNORED ME, SINCE TELLING ANOTHER SUPVR THAT THEY MIGHT BE IN OVER THEIR HEAD WOULD BE A DELICATE SIT TO HANDLE. WHILE WE MADE IT THROUGH THIS TIME, IT WASN'T AS SMOOTH AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN. EVEN THOUGH I HAD DONE MORE THAN MY JOB IN INFORMING MY SUPVR OF THE SIT IF AN ERROR WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IT STILL WOULD HAVE BEEN MY FAULT. THIS WAS AND STILL IS AN UNNECESSARY DISTR.

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.