Reported situation of a procedural change in which the control tower would work traffic watch aircra...

Narrative:

Apparently, beginning today, oct/mon/95, isp tower will begin working 'traffic watch' fixed wing aircraft into and through the isp class 'C' airspace without having the aircraft first contact approach control nor with prior coordination. As an isp approach controller, I am aghast that such a fundamental change to the established SOP's and existing LOA could take place without prior notification or training for the approach controllers. I have received no training whatsoever on this change to the operational procedures that will be taking place in airspace that I am responsible for. There is not even so much as a memo in the read and initial binder about this. The only way that I found out was a hand-written note on the little daily calendar on the supervisor's desk. Due to the critically low staffing here at the ny TRACON, management has had to abolish 'training days.' these were days, usually tuesday, when all three shifts were in so that each crew could have a training day at least once a month, allowing for the ancillary training and crew discussions necessary to be kept abreast of changes occurring both internally and aviation-wide. I am asserting that the abolition of training days at the ny TRACON is a real and serious breach of safety. This can't be allowed to continue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTED SIT OF A PROCEDURAL CHANGE IN WHICH THE CTL TWR WOULD WORK TFC WATCH ACFT THROUGH THEIR CLASS C AIRSPACE. RPTR STATED THERE WAS NO PRIOR NOTIFICATION OR TRAINING ON THE PROC. RPTR REGISTERS CONCERN FOR THE LACK OF TRAINING DAYS DUE FACILITY STAFFING.

Narrative: APPARENTLY, BEGINNING TODAY, OCT/MON/95, ISP TWR WILL BEGIN WORKING 'TFC WATCH' FIXED WING ACFT INTO AND THROUGH THE ISP CLASS 'C' AIRSPACE WITHOUT HAVING THE ACFT FIRST CONTACT APCH CTL NOR WITH PRIOR COORD. AS AN ISP APCH CTLR, I AM AGHAST THAT SUCH A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE TO THE ESTABLISHED SOP'S AND EXISTING LOA COULD TAKE PLACE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION OR TRAINING FOR THE APCH CTLRS. I HAVE RECEIVED NO TRAINING WHATSOEVER ON THIS CHANGE TO THE OPERATIONAL PROCS THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE IN AIRSPACE THAT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR. THERE IS NOT EVEN SO MUCH AS A MEMO IN THE READ AND INITIAL BINDER ABOUT THIS. THE ONLY WAY THAT I FOUND OUT WAS A HAND-WRITTEN NOTE ON THE LITTLE DAILY CALENDAR ON THE SUPVR'S DESK. DUE TO THE CRITICALLY LOW STAFFING HERE AT THE NY TRACON, MGMNT HAS HAD TO ABOLISH 'TRAINING DAYS.' THESE WERE DAYS, USUALLY TUESDAY, WHEN ALL THREE SHIFTS WERE IN SO THAT EACH CREW COULD HAVE A TRAINING DAY AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, ALLOWING FOR THE ANCILLARY TRAINING AND CREW DISCUSSIONS NECESSARY TO BE KEPT ABREAST OF CHANGES OCCURRING BOTH INTERNALLY AND AVIATION-WIDE. I AM ASSERTING THAT THE ABOLITION OF TRAINING DAYS AT THE NY TRACON IS A REAL AND SERIOUS BREACH OF SAFETY. THIS CAN'T BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE.

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.

Attributes
ACN	319500
Time
Date	199510
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : n90
State Reference	NY
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Experience	controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	319500
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Reported situation of a procedural change in which the control tower would work traffic watch aircraft through their class C airspace. Reporter stated there was no prior notification or training on the procedure. Reporter registers concern for the lack of training days due facility staffing.