Narrative:

The northernmost window on the east side of the tower cabin attendant is no longer completely transparent. The seal between the 2 panes of glass failed several months ago allowing condensation to form inside the window on a regular basis, and of course obscuring the view when this condensation was present. The amount of condensation has been so great the residue left behind has made a large portion of the window permanently opaque. This poses a serious safety hazard, as it obscures the view of the approach end of the main runway, runway 22, used for nearly all commuter and a large percentage of cpr traffic, from the local control position. I have personally experienced not being able to immediately locate an aircraft on several occasions because of this problem. It is my understanding that there is not a local glass company willing to accept the job and that efforts are being made to locate a contractor from one of the larger metropolitan areas near evansville. However, this problem has grown to a point that action needs to be taken now, before it contributes to a serious incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the facility now has 2 bidders competing to repair the faulty window in the tower. He said both bidders are from out of town, 100 mi away. I asked about spotters to help locate traffic when traffic picks up. The reporter said the tower has a BRITE radar that helps and most controller in charge's spot when it is real busy. The facility works about 500 operations a day (part time tower), 75 of which are commuters.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EVV TWR HAS BEEN HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING A CAB PANE REPAIRED BECAUSE NO ONE IN THE AREA IS WILLING TO DO THE WORK.

Narrative: THE NORTHERNMOST WINDOW ON THE E SIDE OF THE TWR CAB IS NO LONGER COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT. THE SEAL BTWN THE 2 PANES OF GLASS FAILED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO ALLOWING CONDENSATION TO FORM INSIDE THE WINDOW ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND OF COURSE OBSCURING THE VIEW WHEN THIS CONDENSATION WAS PRESENT. THE AMOUNT OF CONDENSATION HAS BEEN SO GREAT THE RESIDUE LEFT BEHIND HAS MADE A LARGE PORTION OF THE WINDOW PERMANENTLY OPAQUE. THIS POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, AS IT OBSCURES THE VIEW OF THE APCH END OF THE MAIN RWY, RWY 22, USED FOR NEARLY ALL COMMUTER AND A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF CPR TFC, FROM THE LCL CTL POS. I HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED NOT BEING ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY LOCATE AN ACFT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BECAUSE OF THIS PROB. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS NOT A LCL GLASS COMPANY WILLING TO ACCEPT THE JOB AND THAT EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO LOCATE A CONTRACTOR FROM ONE OF THE LARGER METROPOLITAN AREAS NEAR EVANSVILLE. HOWEVER, THIS PROB HAS GROWN TO A POINT THAT ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN NOW, BEFORE IT CONTRIBUTES TO A SERIOUS INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE FACILITY NOW HAS 2 BIDDERS COMPETING TO REPAIR THE FAULTY WINDOW IN THE TWR. HE SAID BOTH BIDDERS ARE FROM OUT OF TOWN, 100 MI AWAY. I ASKED ABOUT SPOTTERS TO HELP LOCATE TFC WHEN TFC PICKS UP. THE RPTR SAID THE TWR HAS A BRITE RADAR THAT HELPS AND MOST CIC'S SPOT WHEN IT IS REAL BUSY. THE FACILITY WORKS ABOUT 500 OPS A DAY (PART TIME TWR), 75 OF WHICH ARE COMMUTERS.

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.