ARTCC radar controller states safety issues could be a factor associated with ARTCC operational area...

Attributes
ACN	398115
Time
Date	199803
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zfw
State Reference	TX
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 13
ASRS Report	398115
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
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:

On mar/xa/98 from XA00 until XF30, I worked ardmore high and low combined. This confign has never existed at ZFW. We have not been trained to operate the sectors with a high/low confign. The uncommon boundaries of the high/low sectors, along with the added clutter of using 2 maps, overlaying each other (high and low), make a potentially dangerous situation, ie, possible violation of airspace, missed safety issues or separation, due to the confusion of never working or being trained to work this confign. This is directly related to the added seventh area at ZFW and management's 'this will work no matter what' attitude, and in my opinion disregarding safety because of their short- sightedness. They (ZFW management) realize that this was a poorly planned and executed task, but they have spent so much money they will stop at nothing until 'it works.' it seems they are able to keep fooling the regional office and washington when they are questioned time and time again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR STATES SAFETY ISSUES COULD BE A FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH ARTCC OPERATIONAL AREA RECONFIGN. RPTR CITES HAVING TO WORK HIGH AND LOW SECTORS SIMULTANEOUSLY DURING THE LATE NIGHT SHIFT, WITHOUT COMPLETE TRAINING, AS CONFUSING.

Narrative: ON MAR/XA/98 FROM XA00 UNTIL XF30, I WORKED ARDMORE HIGH AND LOW COMBINED. THIS CONFIGN HAS NEVER EXISTED AT ZFW. WE HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED TO OPERATE THE SECTORS WITH A HIGH/LOW CONFIGN. THE UNCOMMON BOUNDARIES OF THE HIGH/LOW SECTORS, ALONG WITH THE ADDED CLUTTER OF USING 2 MAPS, OVERLAYING EACH OTHER (HIGH AND LOW), MAKE A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT, IE, POSSIBLE VIOLATION OF AIRSPACE, MISSED SAFETY ISSUES OR SEPARATION, DUE TO THE CONFUSION OF NEVER WORKING OR BEING TRAINED TO WORK THIS CONFIGN. THIS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ADDED SEVENTH AREA AT ZFW AND MGMNT'S 'THIS WILL WORK NO MATTER WHAT' ATTITUDE, AND IN MY OPINION DISREGARDING SAFETY BECAUSE OF THEIR SHORT- SIGHTEDNESS. THEY (ZFW MGMNT) REALIZE THAT THIS WAS A POORLY PLANNED AND EXECUTED TASK, BUT THEY HAVE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY THEY WILL STOP AT NOTHING UNTIL 'IT WORKS.' IT SEEMS THEY ARE ABLE TO KEEP FOOLING THE REGIONAL OFFICE AND WASHINGTON WHEN THEY ARE QUESTIONED TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

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.

ARTCC radar controller states safety issues could be a factor associated with ARTCC operational area reconfign. Reporter cites having to work high and low sectors simultaneously during the late night shift, without complete training, as confusing.