ATC equipment microburst warning display not located at controller position of operation.

Attributes
ACN	293985
Time
Date	199501
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 11
ASRS Report	293985
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

We have equipment in our TRACON that is not visible from certain position. Today we had a microburst alert and when I was on the final position, I could not see the equipment to issue the proper alert. The equipment: tdwr ribbon display. The controllers brought this to the attention of the facility management when it was being installed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated when the new doppler radar system was installed the warning display was installed by the supervisor desk and controllers were told the supervisor would notify the controller about the microburst warning. Controllers are required to issue the microburst warning but don't know what it is unless the supervisor tells them or they leave the position of operation, walk across the room, and read it off the display.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP MICROBURST WARNING DISPLAY NOT LOCATED AT CTLR POS OF OP.

Narrative: WE HAVE EQUIP IN OUR TRACON THAT IS NOT VISIBLE FROM CERTAIN POS. TODAY WE HAD A MICROBURST ALERT AND WHEN I WAS ON THE FINAL POS, I COULD NOT SEE THE EQUIP TO ISSUE THE PROPER ALERT. THE EQUIP: TDWR RIBBON DISPLAY. THE CTLRS BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTN OF THE FACILITY MGMNT WHEN IT WAS BEING INSTALLED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED WHEN THE NEW DOPPLER RADAR SYS WAS INSTALLED THE WARNING DISPLAY WAS INSTALLED BY THE SUPVR DESK AND CTLRS WERE TOLD THE SUPVR WOULD NOTIFY THE CTLR ABOUT THE MICROBURST WARNING. CTLRS ARE REQUIRED TO ISSUE THE MICROBURST WARNING BUT DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS UNLESS THE SUPVR TELLS THEM OR THEY LEAVE THE POS OF OP, WALK ACROSS THE ROOM, AND READ IT OFF THE DISPLAY.

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.