Narrative:

Tower cabin attendant binoculars at savannah ATCT (sav) are the alpen brand; which are cheap and unacceptable. For safe tower operations; we previously had three pairs of alpen binoculars (1 per tower controller on duty). Two then quickly broke with normal use. The third has very poor focus; especially on airborne aircraft. Sav tower controllers 'share' the one pair of ten year old swift binoculars (seahawk swift model 753A) to attempt to safely work tower and ground control traffic. The lack of satisfactory (quality) binoculars will undoubtedly lead to an unsafe; undesirable ATC situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SAV CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING INADEQUATE FAC BINOCULARS TO ACCOMPLISH ATC REQUIREMENTS.

Narrative: TWR CAB BINOCULARS AT SAVANNAH ATCT (SAV) ARE THE ALPEN BRAND; WHICH ARE CHEAP AND UNACCEPTABLE. FOR SAFE TWR OPS; WE PREVIOUSLY HAD THREE PAIRS OF ALPEN BINOCULARS (1 PER TOWER CTLR ON DUTY). TWO THEN QUICKLY BROKE WITH NORMAL USE. THE THIRD HAS VERY POOR FOCUS; ESPECIALLY ON AIRBORNE ACFT. SAV TWR CTLRS 'SHARE' THE ONE PAIR OF TEN YEAR OLD SWIFT BINOCULARS (SEAHAWK SWIFT MODEL 753A) TO ATTEMPT TO SAFELY WORK TWR AND GND CTL TFC. THE LACK OF SATISFACTORY (QUALITY) BINOCULARS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY LEAD TO AN UNSAFE; UNDESIRABLE ATC SIT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.