Narrative:

On or about XA00 on oct/xa/00, our fdio (flight data input/output) system went off line. All efforts to restore the system locally proved unsuccessful. Airways facilities technicians were called in. The problem was deemed to be at ZOB. On the following monday the tower supervisor advised the airways facilities technician that was fixing the problem could wait until tuesday. On tuesday, when airways facilities returned to work several problems were idented and the fdio was not returned to service. A part was ordered to be overnight delivered on tuesday night. This turned out not to be the problem. It is now friday and still no fdio. The thinking of management may be to let it go again for the wkend. How does this affect ATC: 1) IFR flight plans, both departures and arrs, do not come to the tower. All strips now must be hand written. This increases potential for error, significantly increases workload at agc and pit, significant or dangerous WX may not be issued to pilots in a timely manner, and pre taxi clrncs cannot be issued in a timely manner increasing ground control, flight data, approach control and cockpit workload. 2) we are working many times with ground control, clearance delivery and flight data combined. This, for the most part is due to staffing problems locally. With the availability of fdio, ps proceed much smoother. My personal feeling is had they worked when the problem first occurred, it may have been easier to isolate. As for now, and we get no updates from management, it appears no closer to being fixed than when it first occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AGC CTLR CONCERNED WITH MAINT MGMNT RESPONSE TO FLT DATA INPUT OUTPUT (FDIO) OUTAGE.

Narrative: ON OR ABOUT XA00 ON OCT/XA/00, OUR FDIO (FLT DATA INPUT/OUTPUT) SYS WENT OFF LINE. ALL EFFORTS TO RESTORE THE SYS LOCALLY PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL. AIRWAYS FACILITIES TECHNICIANS WERE CALLED IN. THE PROB WAS DEEMED TO BE AT ZOB. ON THE FOLLOWING MONDAY THE TWR SUPVR ADVISED THE AIRWAYS FACILITIES TECHNICIAN THAT WAS FIXING THE PROB COULD WAIT UNTIL TUESDAY. ON TUESDAY, WHEN AIRWAYS FACILITIES RETURNED TO WORK SEVERAL PROBS WERE IDENTED AND THE FDIO WAS NOT RETURNED TO SVC. A PART WAS ORDERED TO BE OVERNIGHT DELIVERED ON TUESDAY NIGHT. THIS TURNED OUT NOT TO BE THE PROB. IT IS NOW FRIDAY AND STILL NO FDIO. THE THINKING OF MGMNT MAY BE TO LET IT GO AGAIN FOR THE WKEND. HOW DOES THIS AFFECT ATC: 1) IFR FLT PLANS, BOTH DEPS AND ARRS, DO NOT COME TO THE TWR. ALL STRIPS NOW MUST BE HAND WRITTEN. THIS INCREASES POTENTIAL FOR ERROR, SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES WORKLOAD AT AGC AND PIT, SIGNIFICANT OR DANGEROUS WX MAY NOT BE ISSUED TO PLTS IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND PRE TAXI CLRNCS CANNOT BE ISSUED IN A TIMELY MANNER INCREASING GND CTL, FLT DATA, APCH CTL AND COCKPIT WORKLOAD. 2) WE ARE WORKING MANY TIMES WITH GND CTL, CLRNC DELIVERY AND FLT DATA COMBINED. THIS, FOR THE MOST PART IS DUE TO STAFFING PROBS LOCALLY. WITH THE AVAILABILITY OF FDIO, PS PROCEED MUCH SMOOTHER. MY PERSONAL FEELING IS HAD THEY WORKED WHEN THE PROB FIRST OCCURRED, IT MAY HAVE BEEN EASIER TO ISOLATE. AS FOR NOW, AND WE GET NO UPDATES FROM MGMNT, IT APPEARS NO CLOSER TO BEING FIXED THAN WHEN IT FIRST OCCURRED.

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.