Narrative:

I work at dtw tower where pre departure clearance computer and SID's that issue the departure frequency. During periods where traffic is building or during adverse WX conditions, the tower is required to switch all east jets to the east propeller aircraft frequency. This requires tower or ground to switch at times as many as 52 aircraft. Instead of switching 6 to 8 east propellers to east jet frequency and having the radar room make 5 landline calls, this is what we are required to do. We are required to accomplish this during periods of adverse WX, departure restrs, pulling aircraft in and out of holding pads, crossing runways, watching space on finals to ensure aircraft will exit runway in time and coordination. If it is that busy, the 2 radar sectors should not be combined. This has only been changed within the last 6 months due to a safety issue. (3 aircraft on 2 different frequencys -- one of them an emergency.) this is causing a safety issue in the tower. The controllers have plenty of other things to do. Especially something that has already been done by either pubs and or technology. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated he has come back from vacation and has been told that the problem is being reviewed by tower and TRACON personnel. Up until now he said for the last 10 months he has been frustrated because of no response to suggestions, complaints, and ucr's. He said the tower/TRACON chief doesn't seem to care about tower problems.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT CTLR AT DTW CLAIMS THAT THE TWR AT TIMES IS REQUIRED TO CHANGE A LARGE NUMBER OF FREQS FOR DEP CTL.

Narrative: I WORK AT DTW TWR WHERE PDC COMPUTER AND SID'S THAT ISSUE THE DEP FREQ. DURING PERIODS WHERE TFC IS BUILDING OR DURING ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS, THE TWR IS REQUIRED TO SWITCH ALL E JETS TO THE E PROP ACFT FREQ. THIS REQUIRES TWR OR GND TO SWITCH AT TIMES AS MANY AS 52 ACFT. INSTEAD OF SWITCHING 6 TO 8 E PROPS TO E JET FREQ AND HAVING THE RADAR ROOM MAKE 5 LANDLINE CALLS, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO. WE ARE REQUIRED TO ACCOMPLISH THIS DURING PERIODS OF ADVERSE WX, DEP RESTRS, PULLING ACFT IN AND OUT OF HOLDING PADS, XING RWYS, WATCHING SPACE ON FINALS TO ENSURE ACFT WILL EXIT RWY IN TIME AND COORD. IF IT IS THAT BUSY, THE 2 RADAR SECTORS SHOULD NOT BE COMBINED. THIS HAS ONLY BEEN CHANGED WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS DUE TO A SAFETY ISSUE. (3 ACFT ON 2 DIFFERENT FREQS -- ONE OF THEM AN EMER.) THIS IS CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE TWR. THE CTLRS HAVE PLENTY OF OTHER THINGS TO DO. ESPECIALLY SOMETHING THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE BY EITHER PUBS AND OR TECHNOLOGY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED HE HAS COME BACK FROM VACATION AND HAS BEEN TOLD THAT THE PROB IS BEING REVIEWED BY TWR AND TRACON PERSONNEL. UP UNTIL NOW HE SAID FOR THE LAST 10 MONTHS HE HAS BEEN FRUSTRATED BECAUSE OF NO RESPONSE TO SUGGESTIONS, COMPLAINTS, AND UCR'S. HE SAID THE TWR/TRACON CHIEF DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE ABOUT TWR PROBS.

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.