An ARTCC departure arrival controller was assigned the radar associate position, working with a rece...

Attributes
ACN	390805
Time
Date	199801
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zfw
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : flight data
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : instrument
Experience	controller radar : 13 flight time total : 1000
ASRS Report	390805
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I was working a d-side on a fairly busy arrival/departure sector when I received a relatively large load of strips, indicating that we were going to get busy. The radar controller was from another area of specialization and had checked out on this sector in preparation for a sector realignment and reorganization. He had spent only a few hours on the sector since checking out on it a couple of months ago. I asked and got, a radar handoff person earlier than I normally would have due to the circumstances. 10 mins later, the radar controller states 'I've lost it,' and 'I don't know what's going on.' the training program for this 7TH area realignment is 'abbreviated' to say the least, and controllers don't get to spend time remaining proficient because other controllers are training. The assistant manager of training was quoted as stating, 'we are complying with the spirit of the training order.' we transition mar/sun/98, in the middle of spring thunderstorm activity. I fear the worst.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ARTCC DEP ARR CTLR WAS ASSIGNED THE RADAR ASSOCIATE POS, WORKING WITH A RECENTLY CERTIFIED RADAR CTLR. AS TFC VOLUME INCREASED, THE RADAR CTLR WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE SECTOR INTEGRITY, STATING THAT HE HAD 'LOST THE PICTURE.' THE ASSOCIATE CTLR CITES AN ABBREVIATED TRAINING PROGRAM TO ACCOMMODATE FACILITY SECTOR REALIGNMENT ASSOCIATED WITH FACILITY REORGANIZATION.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING A D-SIDE ON A FAIRLY BUSY ARR/DEP SECTOR WHEN I RECEIVED A RELATIVELY LARGE LOAD OF STRIPS, INDICATING THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET BUSY. THE RADAR CTLR WAS FROM ANOTHER AREA OF SPECIALIZATION AND HAD CHKED OUT ON THIS SECTOR IN PREPARATION FOR A SECTOR REALIGNMENT AND REORGANIZATION. HE HAD SPENT ONLY A FEW HRS ON THE SECTOR SINCE CHKING OUT ON IT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. I ASKED AND GOT, A RADAR HDOF PERSON EARLIER THAN I NORMALLY WOULD HAVE DUE TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES. 10 MINS LATER, THE RADAR CTLR STATES 'I'VE LOST IT,' AND 'I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.' THE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THIS 7TH AREA REALIGNMENT IS 'ABBREVIATED' TO SAY THE LEAST, AND CTLRS DON'T GET TO SPEND TIME REMAINING PROFICIENT BECAUSE OTHER CTLRS ARE TRAINING. THE ASSISTANT MGR OF TRAINING WAS QUOTED AS STATING, 'WE ARE COMPLYING WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE TRAINING ORDER.' WE TRANSITION MAR/SUN/98, IN THE MIDDLE OF SPRING TSTM ACTIVITY. I FEAR THE WORST.

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.