Narrative:

Numerous windows in tower cabin attendant are obscured due to failure of seal between double pane glass. One window is particularly unsvcable due to severity of condensation. The FAA is aware of the situation and we are told that the solution is being withheld for lack of funding. It is obvious that we, the controllers at mcn, can also have been working around the problem but it is beyond time for some action since it is only a matter of time before these poor excuses for windows causes someone to miss a visual cue that will cause loss of separation or worse! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that the problem started approximately in jun/97. The part time tower is a level 1 facility with 6 controllers and a manager. The airport has an instrument approach system and 1 air carrier flight each day. The reporter says that the most damaged window has an obstructed view of the downwind leg and is considered a safety problem. The facility manager recently put information in the read and initial binder stating that the window problem is scheduled to be repaired providing funding is available. The tower is equipped with a d-brite radar that helps see pattern traffic.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MCN TWR HAS SEVERAL DOUBLE PANED WINDOWS THAT HAVE FAULTY SEALS MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR CTLRS TO SEE TFC IN CERTAIN AREAS.

Narrative: NUMEROUS WINDOWS IN TWR CAB ARE OBSCURED DUE TO FAILURE OF SEAL BTWN DOUBLE PANE GLASS. ONE WINDOW IS PARTICULARLY UNSVCABLE DUE TO SEVERITY OF CONDENSATION. THE FAA IS AWARE OF THE SIT AND WE ARE TOLD THAT THE SOLUTION IS BEING WITHHELD FOR LACK OF FUNDING. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT WE, THE CTLRS AT MCN, CAN ALSO HAVE BEEN WORKING AROUND THE PROB BUT IT IS BEYOND TIME FOR SOME ACTION SINCE IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THESE POOR EXCUSES FOR WINDOWS CAUSES SOMEONE TO MISS A VISUAL CUE THAT WILL CAUSE LOSS OF SEPARATION OR WORSE! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THE PROB STARTED APPROX IN JUN/97. THE PART TIME TWR IS A LEVEL 1 FACILITY WITH 6 CTLRS AND A MGR. THE ARPT HAS AN INST APCH SYS AND 1 ACR FLT EACH DAY. THE RPTR SAYS THAT THE MOST DAMAGED WINDOW HAS AN OBSTRUCTED VIEW OF THE DOWNWIND LEG AND IS CONSIDERED A SAFETY PROB. THE FACILITY MGR RECENTLY PUT INFO IN THE READ AND INITIAL BINDER STATING THAT THE WINDOW PROB IS SCHEDULED TO BE REPAIRED PROVIDING FUNDING IS AVAILABLE. THE TWR IS EQUIPPED WITH A D-BRITE RADAR THAT HELPS SEE PATTERN TFC.

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.