Narrative:

The FAA in alaska has inexplicably canceled the facility ATC SOP order 7210.3 for at least 4 alaskan ATC facilities: zan; anchorage TRACON (A11); anchorage tower (anc); and fairbanks tower (fai). By doing so the FAA has irrationally reduced the level of safety in alaska. FAA SOP orders 7210.3 are locally detailed enhancements to the national separations standards contained in FAA order 7110.65. SOP's address locally approved separation standards between aircraft and in some instances provide detailed separation methods and approved techniques that are not addressed in national standards; such as ads-B evaluate and testing in the bethel area; airport runway operations; etc. The cancellation of facility SOP's has caused great confusion and concern to air traffic controllers. These actions by the FAA have significantly increased controller workload; resulted in a less efficient operation for system users; and reduced the margin of safety in the skies over alaska. Today; controllers have to second guess their decisions wondering how FAA management expects them to operate their control position. This completely unnecessary and counterproductive action by the FAA is causing controllers to take time away from their single most import function -- ensuring the safety of aircraft under their control. Now controllers have to spend additional time to deal with routine coordination functions which until sep/sun/06 were outlined in facility SOP order 7210.3. This groundless action occurred with no notice to the workforce; no briefings to controllers and no plan to address the impact to the ATC operation. At 3 alaskan ATC facilities; A11; anc and fai the FAA reissued a revised SOP. It is my understanding these revised SOP's are missing procedures and rules contained in prior SOP's. Again this information has not been properly communicated to the controllers at the facility and they are left unsure what procedures are now in effect. I am not sure what the FAA's plans are for the zan SOP nor if they intend to brief the workforce on any additional SOP changes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAN CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE FAA DECISION TO CANCEL THE SOP'S FOR VARIOUS ALASKA ATC FACILITIES.

Narrative: THE FAA IN ALASKA HAS INEXPLICABLY CANCELED THE FACILITY ATC SOP ORDER 7210.3 FOR AT LEAST 4 ALASKAN ATC FACILITIES: ZAN; ANCHORAGE TRACON (A11); ANCHORAGE TWR (ANC); AND FAIRBANKS TWR (FAI). BY DOING SO THE FAA HAS IRRATIONALLY REDUCED THE LEVEL OF SAFETY IN ALASKA. FAA SOP ORDERS 7210.3 ARE LOCALLY DETAILED ENHANCEMENTS TO THE NATL SEPARATIONS STANDARDS CONTAINED IN FAA ORDER 7110.65. SOP'S ADDRESS LOCALLY APPROVED SEPARATION STANDARDS BTWN ACFT AND IN SOME INSTANCES PROVIDE DETAILED SEPARATION METHODS AND APPROVED TECHNIQUES THAT ARE NOT ADDRESSED IN NATL STANDARDS; SUCH AS ADS-B EVAL AND TESTING IN THE BETHEL AREA; ARPT RWY OPS; ETC. THE CANCELLATION OF FACILITY SOP'S HAS CAUSED GREAT CONFUSION AND CONCERN TO AIR TFC CTLRS. THESE ACTIONS BY THE FAA HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED CTLR WORKLOAD; RESULTED IN A LESS EFFICIENT OP FOR SYS USERS; AND REDUCED THE MARGIN OF SAFETY IN THE SKIES OVER ALASKA. TODAY; CTLRS HAVE TO SECOND GUESS THEIR DECISIONS WONDERING HOW FAA MGMNT EXPECTS THEM TO OPERATE THEIR CTL POS. THIS COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE ACTION BY THE FAA IS CAUSING CTLRS TO TAKE TIME AWAY FROM THEIR SINGLE MOST IMPORT FUNCTION -- ENSURING THE SAFETY OF ACFT UNDER THEIR CTL. NOW CTLRS HAVE TO SPEND ADDITIONAL TIME TO DEAL WITH ROUTINE COORD FUNCTIONS WHICH UNTIL SEP/SUN/06 WERE OUTLINED IN FACILITY SOP ORDER 7210.3. THIS GROUNDLESS ACTION OCCURRED WITH NO NOTICE TO THE WORKFORCE; NO BRIEFINGS TO CTLRS AND NO PLAN TO ADDRESS THE IMPACT TO THE ATC OP. AT 3 ALASKAN ATC FACILITIES; A11; ANC AND FAI THE FAA REISSUED A REVISED SOP. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THESE REVISED SOP'S ARE MISSING PROCS AND RULES CONTAINED IN PRIOR SOP'S. AGAIN THIS INFO HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY COMMUNICATED TO THE CTLRS AT THE FACILITY AND THEY ARE LEFT UNSURE WHAT PROCS ARE NOW IN EFFECT. I AM NOT SURE WHAT THE FAA'S PLANS ARE FOR THE ZAN SOP NOR IF THEY INTEND TO BRIEF THE WORKFORCE ON ANY ADDITIONAL SOP CHANGES.

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.