ARTCC controller claims it is difficult to keep up without flight strips on the midnight shift.

Attributes
ACN	450267
Time
Date	199909
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zse.artcc
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	450267
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar controller : handoff position
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Computer goes down, as planned. We operate on backup system with no flight printed strips. Down for 4 yrs. During busy time of night, very difficult for the 2 people working to keep up. This can lead to problems as both people try to concentrate on paperwork, handoffs, giving and taking and writing of flight plans. We are never given any specific reason for these computer outages, except for testing. Out of the last 52 weeks, I have worked 46 graveyard shifts. 40 times we have gone down, 2 times we were supposed to but the testers did not show up.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC CTLR CLAIMS IT IS DIFFICULT TO KEEP UP WITHOUT FLT STRIPS ON THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT.

Narrative: COMPUTER GOES DOWN, AS PLANNED. WE OPERATE ON BACKUP SYS WITH NO FLT PRINTED STRIPS. DOWN FOR 4 YRS. DURING BUSY TIME OF NIGHT, VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE 2 PEOPLE WORKING TO KEEP UP. THIS CAN LEAD TO PROBS AS BOTH PEOPLE TRY TO CONCENTRATE ON PAPERWORK, HDOFS, GIVING AND TAKING AND WRITING OF FLT PLANS. WE ARE NEVER GIVEN ANY SPECIFIC REASON FOR THESE COMPUTER OUTAGES, EXCEPT FOR TESTING. OUT OF THE LAST 52 WKS, I HAVE WORKED 46 GRAVEYARD SHIFTS. 40 TIMES WE HAVE GONE DOWN, 2 TIMES WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BUT THE TESTERS DID NOT SHOW UP.

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.