Narrative:

The erie approach control radar emergency obstruction video map failed on may/xa/99. Erie local orders dictate immediate technician callback for repairs. Erie called regional coordination center, was notified of map failure. Regional coordination center advised they would not initiate any callback procedures, that the technicians would repair emergency obstruction video map on may/xc/99 when they return for normal tour of duty. FAA 7210.3P (paragraph 3-9-4) and FAA 7110.65L (paragraph 10-2-15) dictates criteria for emergency obstruction video map wage and state the emergency obstruction video map shall be used when an emergency exists due to the inability of an aircraft to maintain appropriate terrain/obstruction clearance minimum altitude. The emergency obstruction video map is the controller's only radar tool with emergency altitudes, obstructions, terrain and locations of emergency landing airports. Regional coordination center was again contacted on may/xb/99 regarding this outage. Answer was the same -- no repairs until may/xc/99. The reason given was FAA budgetary constraints. This raises deep concerns about budgetary concerns receiving priority over emergency procedures for aircraft operations. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: equipment was repaired the next normal working day. The local order that had previously indicated that this piece of equipment be repaired immediately was changed. It now reads, next day restoration. Reporter reconfirmed that several time lines for equipment restoration have been revised to accommodate the FAA's current budget shortfall. This also prioritizes what repairs can be accomplished on wkends. Reporter has brought this situation to the attention of his congress person.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATES THAT REGIONAL OFFICE PERSONNEL REFUSED TO AUTHORIZE AN IMMEDIATE CALLOUT OF A TECHNICIAN TO REPAIR ATC EQUIP ON A WKEND, CONTRARY TO A FACILITY ORDER. RPTR ALSO STATES THAT FACILITY WAS TOLD THEY WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT NORMAL WORK DAY BECAUSE OF BUDGET CONSTRAINTS.

Narrative: THE ERIE APCH CTL RADAR EMER OBSTRUCTION VIDEO MAP FAILED ON MAY/XA/99. ERIE LCL ORDERS DICTATE IMMEDIATE TECHNICIAN CALLBACK FOR REPAIRS. ERIE CALLED REGIONAL COORD CTR, WAS NOTIFIED OF MAP FAILURE. REGIONAL COORD CTR ADVISED THEY WOULD NOT INITIATE ANY CALLBACK PROCS, THAT THE TECHNICIANS WOULD REPAIR EMER OBSTRUCTION VIDEO MAP ON MAY/XC/99 WHEN THEY RETURN FOR NORMAL TOUR OF DUTY. FAA 7210.3P (PARAGRAPH 3-9-4) AND FAA 7110.65L (PARAGRAPH 10-2-15) DICTATES CRITERIA FOR EMER OBSTRUCTION VIDEO MAP WAGE AND STATE THE EMER OBSTRUCTION VIDEO MAP SHALL BE USED WHEN AN EMER EXISTS DUE TO THE INABILITY OF AN ACFT TO MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE TERRAIN/OBSTRUCTION CLRNC MINIMUM ALT. THE EMER OBSTRUCTION VIDEO MAP IS THE CTLR'S ONLY RADAR TOOL WITH EMER ALTS, OBSTRUCTIONS, TERRAIN AND LOCATIONS OF EMER LNDG ARPTS. REGIONAL COORD CTR WAS AGAIN CONTACTED ON MAY/XB/99 REGARDING THIS OUTAGE. ANSWER WAS THE SAME -- NO REPAIRS UNTIL MAY/XC/99. THE REASON GIVEN WAS FAA BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS. THIS RAISES DEEP CONCERNS ABOUT BUDGETARY CONCERNS RECEIVING PRIORITY OVER EMER PROCS FOR ACFT OPS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: EQUIP WAS REPAIRED THE NEXT NORMAL WORKING DAY. THE LCL ORDER THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY INDICATED THAT THIS PIECE OF EQUIP BE REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY WAS CHANGED. IT NOW READS, NEXT DAY RESTORATION. RPTR RECONFIRMED THAT SEVERAL TIME LINES FOR EQUIP RESTORATION HAVE BEEN REVISED TO ACCOMMODATE THE FAA'S CURRENT BUDGET SHORTFALL. THIS ALSO PRIORITIZES WHAT REPAIRS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED ON WKENDS. RPTR HAS BROUGHT THIS SIT TO THE ATTN OF HIS CONGRESS PERSON.

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.