Narrative:

Local controllers do not have use of input or display control functions of their d-brite equipment necessary for effective and safe operations at the designated east tower position for runway 26/28 operations. This is an ongoing situation that raises many safety issues, the least being the potential of an unsafe situation developing because a controller may not make a 180 degree turn quick enough to observe conflicting traffic, etc. During runway 26/28 operations, controllers are compelled to operate from a position on the west side of the tower where they maintain full d-brite control and input functions, but this position is inappropriate for the configured runways traffic pattern. From this position, the controllers' backs face east towards arriving traffic while they are looking west at the traffic on the d-brite display. Time and again this problem has been brought up with airway facilities who are in charge of the equipment, but with no solution to date. Their response has been that since the m-earts equipment was coming on line, no new computer patches could be made to the d-brite located at the tower east position. Meanwhile, the above unsafe condition persists and no remedy in sight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE TWR AT SJU IS LOCATED BTWN RWYS AND CONFIGURED WITH AN E AND W CTL POS. EACH SIDE HAS A D-BRITE, HOWEVER, THE E SIDE EQUIP DOES NOT HAVE FUNCTIONALITY AND CTLRS FIND IT NECESSARY TO WORK FROM THE W POS WITH THEIR BACKS TO TFC DURING W OPS.

Narrative: LCL CTLRS DO NOT HAVE USE OF INPUT OR DISPLAY CTL FUNCTIONS OF THEIR D-BRITE EQUIP NECESSARY FOR EFFECTIVE AND SAFE OPS AT THE DESIGNATED E TWR POS FOR RWY 26/28 OPS. THIS IS AN ONGOING SIT THAT RAISES MANY SAFETY ISSUES, THE LEAST BEING THE POTENTIAL OF AN UNSAFE SIT DEVELOPING BECAUSE A CTLR MAY NOT MAKE A 180 DEG TURN QUICK ENOUGH TO OBSERVE CONFLICTING TFC, ETC. DURING RWY 26/28 OPS, CTLRS ARE COMPELLED TO OPERATE FROM A POS ON THE W SIDE OF THE TWR WHERE THEY MAINTAIN FULL D-BRITE CTL AND INPUT FUNCTIONS, BUT THIS POS IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE CONFIGURED RWYS TFC PATTERN. FROM THIS POS, THE CTLRS' BACKS FACE E TOWARDS ARRIVING TFC WHILE THEY ARE LOOKING W AT THE TFC ON THE D-BRITE DISPLAY. TIME AND AGAIN THIS PROB HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP WITH AIRWAY FACILITIES WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF THE EQUIP, BUT WITH NO SOLUTION TO DATE. THEIR RESPONSE HAS BEEN THAT SINCE THE M-EARTS EQUIP WAS COMING ON LINE, NO NEW COMPUTER PATCHES COULD BE MADE TO THE D-BRITE LOCATED AT THE TWR E POS. MEANWHILE, THE ABOVE UNSAFE CONDITION PERSISTS AND NO REMEDY IN SIGHT.

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.