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Lex approach controller expressed concern regarding continuing equipment problems and management's approach to solving them.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 630644 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200409 |
| Day | Mon |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : lex.tower |
| State Reference | KY |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dawn |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : zzz.tower |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller time certified in position1 : 24 |
| ASRS Report | 630644 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : supervisor |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | communication equipment : lex.tracon computer equipment : lex.tracon radar equipment : lex.tracon |
Narrative:
Lex is a high level 7 radar. We are short staffed, a low priority to the pwrs above us who would spend their efforts solving the problems of ZID, cvg, sdf, etc. We have seen a steady decline in the maintenance of our equipment such as our radar (all components) radios, (particularly the clarity of radios), information display system -- not even supported by the FAA and is installed in every FAA tower. Landline communications. Support is pitiful! On sep/sat/04 lex experienced an ARTS failure. We could not handoff to or from or receive any flight plan information. (This occurred around XA00 on a friday). The controller in charge did his job to call it in for repair. The air traffic manager, however, refused to call in the automation specialists because it would cost 2 hours of overtime. Those types of poorly thought out decisions can cost lives. Continuing problems getting equipment repaired or working correctly. Hotline from lex to ZID, has crackling, static, and tones. Unable to touch down and hear ZID call. Maintenance personnel advised day #3. It's about money, not safety. ASR-7 beacon channel b-ots for 2 weeks.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LEX APCH CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING CONTINUING EQUIP PROBS AND MGMNT'S APCH TO SOLVING THEM.
Narrative: LEX IS A HIGH LEVEL 7 RADAR. WE ARE SHORT STAFFED, A LOW PRIORITY TO THE PWRS ABOVE US WHO WOULD SPEND THEIR EFFORTS SOLVING THE PROBS OF ZID, CVG, SDF, ETC. WE HAVE SEEN A STEADY DECLINE IN THE MAINT OF OUR EQUIP SUCH AS OUR RADAR (ALL COMPONENTS) RADIOS, (PARTICULARLY THE CLARITY OF RADIOS), INFO DISPLAY SYS -- NOT EVEN SUPPORTED BY THE FAA AND IS INSTALLED IN EVERY FAA TWR. LANDLINE COMS. SUPPORT IS PITIFUL! ON SEP/SAT/04 LEX EXPERIENCED AN ARTS FAILURE. WE COULD NOT HDOF TO OR FROM OR RECEIVE ANY FLT PLAN INFO. (THIS OCCURRED AROUND XA00 ON A FRIDAY). THE CIC DID HIS JOB TO CALL IT IN FOR REPAIR. THE AIR TFC MGR, HOWEVER, REFUSED TO CALL IN THE AUTOMATION SPECIALISTS BECAUSE IT WOULD COST 2 HRS OF OVERTIME. THOSE TYPES OF POORLY THOUGHT OUT DECISIONS CAN COST LIVES. CONTINUING PROBS GETTING EQUIP REPAIRED OR WORKING CORRECTLY. HOTLINE FROM LEX TO ZID, HAS CRACKLING, STATIC, AND TONES. UNABLE TO TOUCH DOWN AND HEAR ZID CALL. MAINT PERSONNEL ADVISED DAY #3. IT'S ABOUT MONEY, NOT SAFETY. ASR-7 BEACON CHANNEL B-OTS FOR 2 WKS.
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.