ARTCC ATCT interfacility coordination. Inadequate training at contract tower.

Attributes
ACN	306102
Time
Date	199505
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : txk
State Reference	AR
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : txk
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 4
ASRS Report	306102
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was working the txk-L0 sector at ZFW. I began coordinating arrival information to txk tower. The contractor at the tower had no idea what I was talking about -- no knowledge of the types of IFR approachs or procedures (other than the name and general direction the aircraft will be coming from). With only 30 days training, the contractors hired to replace FAA controllers under the guise of saving money, are a continued problem and a hazard to air safety. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: cto examiner for txk tower stated all personnel that are certified at txk tower have been trained and are certified to work as controllers in a contract tower. Cto examiner felt this was an isolated incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC ATCT INTERFAC COORD. INADEQUATE TRAINING AT CONTRACT TWR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE TXK-L0 SECTOR AT ZFW. I BEGAN COORDINATING ARR INFO TO TXK TWR. THE CONTRACTOR AT THE TWR HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT -- NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE TYPES OF IFR APCHS OR PROCS (OTHER THAN THE NAME AND GENERAL DIRECTION THE ACFT WILL BE COMING FROM). WITH ONLY 30 DAYS TRAINING, THE CONTRACTORS HIRED TO REPLACE FAA CTLRS UNDER THE GUISE OF SAVING MONEY, ARE A CONTINUED PROB AND A HAZARD TO AIR SAFETY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CTO EXAMINER FOR TXK TWR STATED ALL PERSONNEL THAT ARE CERTIFIED AT TXK TWR HAVE BEEN TRAINED AND ARE CERTIFIED TO WORK AS CTLRS IN A CONTRACT TWR. CTO EXAMINER FELT THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.

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.