Narrative:

What is occurring at anchorage TRACON is 'staffing to bodies' rather than staffing to traffic need as it has always been and should be. The 7210.3's paragraph 2-6-5; manual is quite clear in that we are to staff to need qualifications and activity not to a body count. To my knowledge there has been no written change; genot; or other directive that overrides this directive. Normal activity in any TRACON or facility has been to combine position so that traffic is at a comfortably busy level for the controller. When traffic became greater than this; the supervisor/controller in charge would open the next; hopefully; appropriate position or the controller would ask that one be opened. This practice allowed breaks and gave a controller a comfortable level of traffic to maintain the high level of proficiency that we all need. Anchorage TRACON has been under this type of mismgmnt for at least 3 months and it shows in controller comments and morale. A recent increase in qar's and operrors and opdevs may already be showing that less sharp controllers are more likely to make an error. I know that personally I prefer to work a higher level of traffic than the slower sessions. I think we are more aware when we are busier. I think this is true in any task; not just ATC. Hopefully we are only talking about 1 manager and one facility; anchorage TRACON; and we can get it corrected. If this is prevalent throughout the FAA and ato then the system is in real trouble. I don't have the horsepower or contacts to see of this practice is in fact localized or national.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A11 CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERNS REGARDING FACILITY STAFFING PROCS.

Narrative: WHAT IS OCCURRING AT ANCHORAGE TRACON IS 'STAFFING TO BODIES' RATHER THAN STAFFING TO TFC NEED AS IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND SHOULD BE. THE 7210.3'S PARAGRAPH 2-6-5; MANUAL IS QUITE CLR IN THAT WE ARE TO STAFF TO NEED QUALIFICATIONS AND ACTIVITY NOT TO A BODY COUNT. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE HAS BEEN NO WRITTEN CHANGE; GENOT; OR OTHER DIRECTIVE THAT OVERRIDES THIS DIRECTIVE. NORMAL ACTIVITY IN ANY TRACON OR FACILITY HAS BEEN TO COMBINE POS SO THAT TFC IS AT A COMFORTABLY BUSY LEVEL FOR THE CTLR. WHEN TFC BECAME GREATER THAN THIS; THE SUPVR/CIC WOULD OPEN THE NEXT; HOPEFULLY; APPROPRIATE POS OR THE CTLR WOULD ASK THAT ONE BE OPENED. THIS PRACTICE ALLOWED BREAKS AND GAVE A CTLR A COMFORTABLE LEVEL OF TFC TO MAINTAIN THE HIGH LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY THAT WE ALL NEED. ANCHORAGE TRACON HAS BEEN UNDER THIS TYPE OF MISMGMNT FOR AT LEAST 3 MONTHS AND IT SHOWS IN CTLR COMMENTS AND MORALE. A RECENT INCREASE IN QAR'S AND OPERRORS AND OPDEVS MAY ALREADY BE SHOWING THAT LESS SHARP CTLRS ARE MORE LIKELY TO MAKE AN ERROR. I KNOW THAT PERSONALLY I PREFER TO WORK A HIGHER LEVEL OF TFC THAN THE SLOWER SESSIONS. I THINK WE ARE MORE AWARE WHEN WE ARE BUSIER. I THINK THIS IS TRUE IN ANY TASK; NOT JUST ATC. HOPEFULLY WE ARE ONLY TALKING ABOUT 1 MGR AND ONE FACILITY; ANCHORAGE TRACON; AND WE CAN GET IT CORRECTED. IF THIS IS PREVALENT THROUGHOUT THE FAA AND ATO THEN THE SYS IS IN REAL TROUBLE. I DON'T HAVE THE HORSEPOWER OR CONTACTS TO SEE OF THIS PRACTICE IS IN FACT LOCALIZED OR NATIONAL.

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.