Reporter alleges that when the host computer is down on the midshift, WX and NOTAM information is no...

Narrative:

Our host computer was shut down for maintenance and we have no WX. The new harris WX and radar processor (warp) has only limited sequence reports but they were all 3 hours old. The NOTAMS were 6 hours old and we could not get updates because no one was staffing flight data. We are required to pass WX and NOTAMS to pilots for pre approach information. When I asked about this I was told to call flight service to get the WX and NOTAMS. We have minimum staffing on the overnight shift (3 persons to cover 2 radar sectors). When the computer is down we have to write and run flight plans in the center and pass flight plans to adjacent facilities by land line. This means the radar controller has to go 'off line' to call FSS because this facility does not feel that this information is important enough to staff flight data and make sure that our backup equipment is working. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated there has been no change to midshift staffing when the computer is down and that the currency on the warp WX sequence reports is still a problem. Reporter alleges the facility shows no interest in increasing the staffing during these periods.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ALLEGES THAT WHEN THE HOST COMPUTER IS DOWN ON THE MIDSHIFT, WX AND NOTAM INFO IS NOT CURRENT AS THE FLT DATA POS IS NOT STAFFED: CTLRS WERE TOLD TO CALL FSS FOR THE INFO.

Narrative: OUR HOST COMPUTER WAS SHUT DOWN FOR MAINT AND WE HAVE NO WX. THE NEW HARRIS WX AND RADAR PROCESSOR (WARP) HAS ONLY LIMITED SEQUENCE RPTS BUT THEY WERE ALL 3 HRS OLD. THE NOTAMS WERE 6 HRS OLD AND WE COULD NOT GET UPDATES BECAUSE NO ONE WAS STAFFING FLT DATA. WE ARE REQUIRED TO PASS WX AND NOTAMS TO PLTS FOR PRE APCH INFO. WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THIS I WAS TOLD TO CALL FLT SVC TO GET THE WX AND NOTAMS. WE HAVE MINIMUM STAFFING ON THE OVERNIGHT SHIFT (3 PERSONS TO COVER 2 RADAR SECTORS). WHEN THE COMPUTER IS DOWN WE HAVE TO WRITE AND RUN FLT PLANS IN THE CTR AND PASS FLT PLANS TO ADJACENT FACILITIES BY LAND LINE. THIS MEANS THE RADAR CTLR HAS TO GO 'OFF LINE' TO CALL FSS BECAUSE THIS FACILITY DOES NOT FEEL THAT THIS INFO IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO STAFF FLT DATA AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR BACKUP EQUIP IS WORKING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE TO MIDSHIFT STAFFING WHEN THE COMPUTER IS DOWN AND THAT THE CURRENCY ON THE WARP WX SEQUENCE RPTS IS STILL A PROB. RPTR ALLEGES THE FACILITY SHOWS NO INTEREST IN INCREASING THE STAFFING DURING THESE PERIODS.

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	378950
Time
Date	199709
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zbw
State Reference	MA
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 15 controller radar : 13 flight time total : 250
ASRS Report	378950
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Reporter alleges that when the host computer is down on the midshift, WX and NOTAM information is not current as the flight data position is not staffed: controllers were told to call FSS for the information.