Narrative:

Situation is not specific to a certain aircraft; rather a lack of briefing of significant airspace changes in the tampa area (pie specifically). Effective oct/tue/05; a new approach was added at pie -- the RNAV GPS-a. The controllers on duty that day discovered this new approach by reading the local newspaper; which contained an article about how this new approach overlies a present; daylight-only visual approach (north bay visual runway 17L). A controller actually called the paper to find out how they knew about this approach; yet we (the controller workforce) didn't. After this exchange took place; the reporter apparently made an inquiry as to how this could happen. Shortly thereafter; a 'read and initial' briefing item appeared in the read and initial binder; with an effective date of that very day. No face-to-face briefing was provided to any controller; and over 3/4 of the work force that day was not briefed on a procedure that was effective prior to the start of shift. This approach also required changes to the tampa SOP's and the LOA between st petersburg-clearwater ATCT and tampa ATCT -- again not briefed to the controllers responsible for providing service to pilots. This is not the first time this has happened at tampa; rather; this seems to be the norm as of late. Changes to airspace procedures are not being briefed in a timely manner; it is more like 'after the fact.' this is dangerous. Controllers are not being briefed on items/changes to airspace; approachs and/or procedures that directly affect positive and safe separation of aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TPA CTLR EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION REGARDING THE LACK OF CTLR BRIEFINGS ON A NEW PROC.

Narrative: SITUATION IS NOT SPECIFIC TO A CERTAIN ACFT; RATHER A LACK OF BRIEFING OF SIGNIFICANT AIRSPACE CHANGES IN THE TAMPA AREA (PIE SPECIFICALLY). EFFECTIVE OCT/TUE/05; A NEW APCH WAS ADDED AT PIE -- THE RNAV GPS-A. THE CTLRS ON DUTY THAT DAY DISCOVERED THIS NEW APCH BY READING THE LCL NEWSPAPER; WHICH CONTAINED AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW THIS NEW APCH OVERLIES A PRESENT; DAYLIGHT-ONLY VISUAL APCH (NORTH BAY VISUAL RWY 17L). A CTLR ACTUALLY CALLED THE PAPER TO FIND OUT HOW THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS APCH; YET WE (THE CTLR WORKFORCE) DIDN'T. AFTER THIS EXCHANGE TOOK PLACE; THE RPTR APPARENTLY MADE AN INQUIRY AS TO HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; A 'READ AND INITIAL' BRIEFING ITEM APPEARED IN THE READ AND INITIAL BINDER; WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF THAT VERY DAY. NO FACE-TO-FACE BRIEFING WAS PROVIDED TO ANY CTLR; AND OVER 3/4 OF THE WORK FORCE THAT DAY WAS NOT BRIEFED ON A PROC THAT WAS EFFECTIVE PRIOR TO THE START OF SHIFT. THIS APCH ALSO REQUIRED CHANGES TO THE TAMPA SOP'S AND THE LOA BTWN ST PETERSBURG-CLEARWATER ATCT AND TAMPA ATCT -- AGAIN NOT BRIEFED TO THE CTLRS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING SVC TO PLTS. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AT TAMPA; RATHER; THIS SEEMS TO BE THE NORM AS OF LATE. CHANGES TO AIRSPACE PROCS ARE NOT BEING BRIEFED IN A TIMELY MANNER; IT IS MORE LIKE 'AFTER THE FACT.' THIS IS DANGEROUS. CTLRS ARE NOT BEING BRIEFED ON ITEMS/CHANGES TO AIRSPACE; APCHS AND/OR PROCS THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT POSITIVE AND SAFE SEPARATION OF ACFT.

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.