Controller reports large radial engine run-ups next to tower make it difficult to hear radios.

Attributes
ACN	712722
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sts.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord.tower
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Military Bomber
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	flight time total : 2000
ASRS Report	712722
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	maintenance : technician
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : testing
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

The maintenance facility and the repair shop is located at the base of the south side of the tower. Large noisy aircraft are repaired on a daily basis there and numerous occasions have surfaced at which large radial style engines are run on the ramp at high RPM's. We have two large run-up areas large enough to accommodate these aircraft; however; on many occasions this repair shop does not utilize the run-up areas and instead runs aircraft for minutes at a time at which noise levels reach high enough levels that the ground and local controllers can not hear the traffic on the radios. To my understanding maintenance facility has been informed in the past not to do this; however they continue to ignore our complaints. It is my personal opinion if this continues; our ability to communicate will impede the NAS and the safety of aircraft in our airspace will be in jeopardy. The bottom line; they don't listen and we can't hear; and interfering with controllers can lead to dire circumstances.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR RPTS LARGE RADIAL ENG RUN-UPS NEXT TO TWR MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO HEAR RADIOS.

Narrative: THE MAINT FACILITY AND THE REPAIR SHOP IS LOCATED AT THE BASE OF THE S SIDE OF THE TWR. LARGE NOISY ACFT ARE REPAIRED ON A DAILY BASIS THERE AND NUMEROUS OCCASIONS HAVE SURFACED AT WHICH LARGE RADIAL STYLE ENGS ARE RUN ON THE RAMP AT HIGH RPM'S. WE HAVE TWO LARGE RUN-UP AREAS LARGE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE THESE ACFT; HOWEVER; ON MANY OCCASIONS THIS REPAIR SHOP DOES NOT UTILIZE THE RUN-UP AREAS AND INSTEAD RUNS ACFT FOR MINUTES AT A TIME AT WHICH NOISE LEVELS REACH HIGH ENOUGH LEVELS THAT THE GND AND LOCAL CTLRS CAN NOT HEAR THE TFC ON THE RADIOS. TO MY UNDERSTANDING MAINT FACILITY HAS BEEN INFORMED IN THE PAST NOT TO DO THIS; HOWEVER THEY CONTINUE TO IGNORE OUR COMPLAINTS. IT IS MY PERSONAL OPINION IF THIS CONTINUES; OUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WILL IMPEDE THE NAS AND THE SAFETY OF ACFT IN OUR AIRSPACE WILL BE IN JEOPARDY. THE BOTTOM LINE; THEY DON'T LISTEN AND WE CAN'T HEAR; AND INTERFERING WITH CTLRS CAN LEAD TO DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES.

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.