Narrative:

Crp ATCT is a level iv facility with ARTS iia equipment. We are unique in that we have 2 separate radar system within our facility. We have an ASR-8 for approach control services for the corpus christi area, and an ASR-9 for approach control services for the valley area (brownsville, harlingen, and mcallen). The equipment we have was designed for a slow to moderate level III facility. We are now the busiest level iv facility in the southwest region (sep/96 density factors). Because of the increased workload on our equipment, management has begun scheduling initial radar training (ttg's) on mid- shifts. Their reasoning is that our ARTS iia system consistently operates at a near capacity level and the increased workload of the ttg's would cause our ARTS to fail. This being true, then crp is working at system capacity on a daily basis on the verge of overloading the system causing a major outage and safety concern. On oct/thu/96, management tried to run a slow (50 percent) ttg problem. They tried to load the problem at XA30 am, but were unable to get the ttg running. If at XA30 am we are already working at maximum system capacity, with only moderate traffic levels, the potential for system failure during heavy traffic periods is very realistic. To continue to operate a system that knowingly is at maximum capacity without any means of improvement or relief is a serious safety concern.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR COMPLAINT ABOUT FACILITY MGMNT RUNNING (TTG) TRAINING PROBS DURING MODERATE TO HVY TFC PERIODS. RPTR SAYS THIS SLOWS THE ARTS II SYS DOWN TOO MUCH AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD.

Narrative: CRP ATCT IS A LEVEL IV FACILITY WITH ARTS IIA EQUIP. WE ARE UNIQUE IN THAT WE HAVE 2 SEPARATE RADAR SYS WITHIN OUR FACILITY. WE HAVE AN ASR-8 FOR APCH CTL SVCS FOR THE CORPUS CHRISTI AREA, AND AN ASR-9 FOR APCH CTL SVCS FOR THE VALLEY AREA (BROWNSVILLE, HARLINGEN, AND MCALLEN). THE EQUIP WE HAVE WAS DESIGNED FOR A SLOW TO MODERATE LEVEL III FACILITY. WE ARE NOW THE BUSIEST LEVEL IV FACILITY IN THE SW REGION (SEP/96 DENSITY FACTORS). BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED WORKLOAD ON OUR EQUIP, MGMNT HAS BEGUN SCHEDULING INITIAL RADAR TRAINING (TTG'S) ON MID- SHIFTS. THEIR REASONING IS THAT OUR ARTS IIA SYS CONSISTENTLY OPERATES AT A NEAR CAPACITY LEVEL AND THE INCREASED WORKLOAD OF THE TTG'S WOULD CAUSE OUR ARTS TO FAIL. THIS BEING TRUE, THEN CRP IS WORKING AT SYS CAPACITY ON A DAILY BASIS ON THE VERGE OF OVERLOADING THE SYS CAUSING A MAJOR OUTAGE AND SAFETY CONCERN. ON OCT/THU/96, MGMNT TRIED TO RUN A SLOW (50 PERCENT) TTG PROB. THEY TRIED TO LOAD THE PROB AT XA30 AM, BUT WERE UNABLE TO GET THE TTG RUNNING. IF AT XA30 AM WE ARE ALREADY WORKING AT MAX SYS CAPACITY, WITH ONLY MODERATE TFC LEVELS, THE POTENTIAL FOR SYS FAILURE DURING HVY TFC PERIODS IS VERY REALISTIC. TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE A SYS THAT KNOWINGLY IS AT MAX CAPACITY WITHOUT ANY MEANS OF IMPROVEMENT OR RELIEF IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN.

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.