Narrative:

The windows in the tower are dirty and it can be bothersome when trying to locate aircraft out the window. Once, I was training a developmental and he claimed the aircraft he thought he saw was really dirt on the window. One benefit: airline passenger can't see in the tower, which can be helpful especially when there is little air traffic activity. Supplemental information from acn 327874: due to continuing glass and shade cleanliness problem, sighting traffic and focusing on same are difficult. General tower cleanliness is very much a problem: dust balls, lint, fly remains, etc. The air ducts were recently cleaned, let's finish the job. Callback conversation with reporter of acn 327874 revealed the following information: reporter stated he did not know when the last time the tower windows were cleaned. Reporter had not talked to facility management about problem. Reporter was informed that facility management had to solve the problem and get the windows cleaned. Facility supervisor stated the facility was having problems with the janitorial service. Supervisor was working with airways facility sector to get the windows cleaned. Ucr had been filed. Supplemental information from acn 328008: filthy, dusty conditions in tower cabin. FAA has failed to remove 9 months of grime from the cabin window glass (last cleaned 5/xx/95). Window shades are torn, scotch-taped, filthy, scratched, unserviceable, and contribute to an unsafe environment for the flying public. Solution: clean cabin and windows, plus replace old, decrepit shades.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DIRTY TWR WINDOWS.

Narrative: THE WINDOWS IN THE TWR ARE DIRTY AND IT CAN BE BOTHERSOME WHEN TRYING TO LOCATE ACFT OUT THE WINDOW. ONCE, I WAS TRAINING A DEVELOPMENTAL AND HE CLAIMED THE ACFT HE THOUGHT HE SAW WAS REALLY DIRT ON THE WINDOW. ONE BENEFIT: AIRLINE PAX CAN'T SEE IN THE TWR, WHICH CAN BE HELPFUL ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS LITTLE AIR TFC ACTIVITY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 327874: DUE TO CONTINUING GLASS AND SHADE CLEANLINESS PROB, SIGHTING TFC AND FOCUSING ON SAME ARE DIFFICULT. GENERAL TWR CLEANLINESS IS VERY MUCH A PROB: DUST BALLS, LINT, FLY REMAINS, ETC. THE AIR DUCTS WERE RECENTLY CLEANED, LET'S FINISH THE JOB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR OF ACN 327874 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED HE DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE LAST TIME THE TWR WINDOWS WERE CLEANED. RPTR HAD NOT TALKED TO FACILITY MGMNT ABOUT PROB. RPTR WAS INFORMED THAT FACILITY MGMNT HAD TO SOLVE THE PROB AND GET THE WINDOWS CLEANED. FACILITY SUPVR STATED THE FACILITY WAS HAVING PROBS WITH THE JANITORIAL SVC. SUPVR WAS WORKING WITH AIRWAYS FACILITY SECTOR TO GET THE WINDOWS CLEANED. UCR HAD BEEN FILED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 328008: FILTHY, DUSTY CONDITIONS IN TWR CABIN. FAA HAS FAILED TO REMOVE 9 MONTHS OF GRIME FROM THE CABIN WINDOW GLASS (LAST CLEANED 5/XX/95). WINDOW SHADES ARE TORN, SCOTCH-TAPED, FILTHY, SCRATCHED, UNSERVICEABLE, AND CONTRIBUTE TO AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FLYING PUBLIC. SOLUTION: CLEAN CABIN AND WINDOWS, PLUS REPLACE OLD, DECREPIT SHADES.

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.