Narrative:

Release of isp ILS pre-coordination to occur at XB00. At approximately XA30 isp tower notified N90 that maintenance had disabled the ILS. There was an aircraft (PA28) on the approach and an FAA flight check aircraft inbound for certification checks of the ILS (checks were supposed to occur prior to maintenance). This is a classic example of what is becoming a pervasive problem in the FAA. Due to upper management reorganization efforts; operational level coordination of different 'lines of businesses' (eg; at-tmu-af) are suffering severe dysfunctionality. While FAA headquarters is focused on 'customer service' and 'vision plans' and other such esoteric concerns; core safety issues are being left unattended. When problems do occur; management overreaction and 'knee-jerk' genots seem to be the order of the day (think: tiph). Widespread confusion at the operational level is occurring; with 'normal' chain-of-command channels being disrupted by management restructuring. This has very serious safety ramifications as the 'holes in the swiss cheese' are growing extremely large at the levels farthest removed from the operation (reason's taxonomy of error 'swiss cheese' model). With ATC staffing dwindling with no replacements in sight for the foreseeable future and pressure on ATC to 'maximize efficiency;' the error taxonomy chain is being stretched to the breaking point.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: N90 CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING COORD FAILURES BTWN N90 TRACON; ISP TWR AND MAINT; ADDING COMMENTS ON FAA REORGANIZATION.

Narrative: RELEASE OF ISP ILS PRE-COORD TO OCCUR AT XB00. AT APPROX XA30 ISP TWR NOTIFIED N90 THAT MAINT HAD DISABLED THE ILS. THERE WAS AN ACFT (PA28) ON THE APCH AND AN FAA FLT CHK ACFT INBOUND FOR CERTIFICATION CHKS OF THE ILS (CHKS WERE SUPPOSED TO OCCUR PRIOR TO MAINT). THIS IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF WHAT IS BECOMING A PERVASIVE PROB IN THE FAA. DUE TO UPPER MGMNT REORGANIZATION EFFORTS; OPERATIONAL LEVEL COORD OF DIFFERENT 'LINES OF BUSINESSES' (EG; AT-TMU-AF) ARE SUFFERING SEVERE DYSFUNCTIONALITY. WHILE FAA HEADQUARTERS IS FOCUSED ON 'CUSTOMER SVC' AND 'VISION PLANS' AND OTHER SUCH ESOTERIC CONCERNS; CORE SAFETY ISSUES ARE BEING LEFT UNATTENDED. WHEN PROBS DO OCCUR; MGMNT OVERREACTION AND 'KNEE-JERK' GENOTS SEEM TO BE THE ORDER OF THE DAY (THINK: TIPH). WIDESPREAD CONFUSION AT THE OPERATIONAL LEVEL IS OCCURRING; WITH 'NORMAL' CHAIN-OF-COMMAND CHANNELS BEING DISRUPTED BY MGMNT RESTRUCTURING. THIS HAS VERY SERIOUS SAFETY RAMIFICATIONS AS THE 'HOLES IN THE SWISS CHEESE' ARE GROWING EXTREMELY LARGE AT THE LEVELS FARTHEST REMOVED FROM THE OP (REASON'S TAXONOMY OF ERROR 'SWISS CHEESE' MODEL). WITH ATC STAFFING DWINDLING WITH NO REPLACEMENTS IN SIGHT FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE AND PRESSURE ON ATC TO 'MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY;' THE ERROR TAXONOMY CHAIN IS BEING STRETCHED TO THE BREAKING POINT.

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.