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Reporter stated concern about impact of controllers taking WX observations. WX observations will interfere with controller primary responsibility of controling traffic. Reporter claimed equipment for measuring WX is not provided and that there was no funding for additional controllers to perform this extra duty.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 334701 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199605 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mci |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| ASRS Report | 334701 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I am seriously concerned about the impact of having air traffic controllers take WX observations will have on safety. Because of the fact NWS observers and contract WX observers are no longer being funded for airports throughout the country, air traffic controllers will be taking WX observations. This will interfere with controllers' primary responsibility of separating aircraft (especially during bad WX). Additionally, there has been no funding for staffing extra controllers at facilities to perform these extra duties nor has there been any funding for equipment for taking WX observations. This means a currently overworked air traffic work force will be expected to do more duties with current staffing. Also the observations will be a best guess since there is no equipment provided to measure the WX elements.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: RPTR STATED CONCERN ABOUT IMPACT OF CTLRS TAKING WX OBSERVATIONS. WX OBSERVATIONS WILL INTERFERE WITH CTLR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF CTLING TFC. RPTR CLAIMED EQUIP FOR MEASURING WX IS NOT PROVIDED AND THAT THERE WAS NO FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL CTLRS TO PERFORM THIS EXTRA DUTY.
Narrative: I AM SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF HAVING AIR TFC CTLRS TAKE WX OBSERVATIONS WILL HAVE ON SAFETY. BECAUSE OF THE FACT NWS OBSERVERS AND CONTRACT WX OBSERVERS ARE NO LONGER BEING FUNDED FOR ARPTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, AIR TFC CTLRS WILL BE TAKING WX OBSERVATIONS. THIS WILL INTERFERE WITH CTLRS' PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF SEPARATING ACFT (ESPECIALLY DURING BAD WX). ADDITIONALLY, THERE HAS BEEN NO FUNDING FOR STAFFING EXTRA CTLRS AT FACILITIES TO PERFORM THESE EXTRA DUTIES NOR HAS THERE BEEN ANY FUNDING FOR EQUIP FOR TAKING WX OBSERVATIONS. THIS MEANS A CURRENTLY OVERWORKED AIR TFC WORK FORCE WILL BE EXPECTED TO DO MORE DUTIES WITH CURRENT STAFFING. ALSO THE OBSERVATIONS WILL BE A BEST GUESS SINCE THERE IS NO EQUIP PROVIDED TO MEASURE THE WX ELEMENTS.
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.