ATCT controller at mci states the tower shades are scratched and faded.

Attributes
ACN	480910
Time
Date	200008
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mci.tower
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 6 controller time certified in position1 : 6
ASRS Report	480910
Events
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : tower shades other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility
Primary Problem	ATC Facility
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Since the end of last yr our tower shades have had numerous scratches on them. They also are faded in various areas causing less than optimum viewing out the window -- especially in early morning or late evening. We have a BRITE radar scope in the tower, so working with shades up is not practical. Management continues to not address this area and now as a result after 1 yr of bad shades, they are (shades) useless. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the new shades have arrived and the facility is looking for a contractor to install them. The reporter said after 8 months, action to fix the problem was finally taken after a ucr was filed. Interestingly, the reporter said the shades became severely scratched because a large number of flies were entering the tower and were being swatted on the shades by controllers. Cleaning the residue on the shades caused the scratches.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT CTLR AT MCI STATES THE TWR SHADES ARE SCRATCHED AND FADED.

Narrative: SINCE THE END OF LAST YR OUR TWR SHADES HAVE HAD NUMEROUS SCRATCHES ON THEM. THEY ALSO ARE FADED IN VARIOUS AREAS CAUSING LESS THAN OPTIMUM VIEWING OUT THE WINDOW -- ESPECIALLY IN EARLY MORNING OR LATE EVENING. WE HAVE A BRITE RADAR SCOPE IN THE TWR, SO WORKING WITH SHADES UP IS NOT PRACTICAL. MGMNT CONTINUES TO NOT ADDRESS THIS AREA AND NOW AS A RESULT AFTER 1 YR OF BAD SHADES, THEY ARE (SHADES) USELESS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE NEW SHADES HAVE ARRIVED AND THE FACILITY IS LOOKING FOR A CONTRACTOR TO INSTALL THEM. THE RPTR SAID AFTER 8 MONTHS, ACTION TO FIX THE PROB WAS FINALLY TAKEN AFTER A UCR WAS FILED. INTERESTINGLY, THE RPTR SAID THE SHADES BECAME SEVERELY SCRATCHED BECAUSE A LARGE NUMBER OF FLIES WERE ENTERING THE TWR AND WERE BEING SWATTED ON THE SHADES BY CTLRS. CLEANING THE RESIDUE ON THE SHADES CAUSED THE SCRATCHES.

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.