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Crw controller expressed concern regarding facility staffing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 716294 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200611 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : crw.airport |
| State Reference | WV |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Experience | controller limited radar : 4 controller non radar : 7 controller radar : 1 controller time certified in position1 : 1 |
| ASRS Report | 716294 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | staffing : crw.tower |
Narrative:
On this date; facility staffing reached a critical level. For the evening shift; we had 3 fully certified controllers (fpl) and 1 controller that is only able to work TRACON data (td). When we are staffed at this level the local controller must work all tower position combined at times so that there is always an fpl in the TRACON with the controller certified on TRACON data only and the other fpl can run between the TRACON and the tower to provide breaks for everyone. This goes against the current FAA policy/guideline that states that no controller shall work alone in the control tower at any time. Additionally; this situation forces an fpl working radar to have to work with a backup at TRACON data that can only stuff strip holders and do the traffic count. What happens when traffic builds to the point of saturation and the radar position need to be split. It is not going to happen and safety is degraded so that this facility can save a few dollars on overtime. We really do not want the overtime. What we want and need are more controllers at this facility to provide a safe environment for the flying public.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CRW CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING FACILITY STAFFING.
Narrative: ON THIS DATE; FACILITY STAFFING REACHED A CRITICAL LEVEL. FOR THE EVENING SHIFT; WE HAD 3 FULLY CERTIFIED CTLRS (FPL) AND 1 CTLR THAT IS ONLY ABLE TO WORK TRACON DATA (TD). WHEN WE ARE STAFFED AT THIS LEVEL THE LCL CTLR MUST WORK ALL TWR POS COMBINED AT TIMES SO THAT THERE IS ALWAYS AN FPL IN THE TRACON WITH THE CTLR CERTIFIED ON TRACON DATA ONLY AND THE OTHER FPL CAN RUN BTWN THE TRACON AND THE TWR TO PROVIDE BREAKS FOR EVERYONE. THIS GOES AGAINST THE CURRENT FAA POLICY/GUIDELINE THAT STATES THAT NO CTLR SHALL WORK ALONE IN THE CTL TWR AT ANY TIME. ADDITIONALLY; THIS SITUATION FORCES AN FPL WORKING RADAR TO HAVE TO WORK WITH A BACKUP AT TRACON DATA THAT CAN ONLY STUFF STRIP HOLDERS AND DO THE TFC COUNT. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TFC BUILDS TO THE POINT OF SATURATION AND THE RADAR POS NEED TO BE SPLIT. IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AND SAFETY IS DEGRADED SO THAT THIS FACILITY CAN SAVE A FEW DOLLARS ON OVERTIME. WE REALLY DO NOT WANT THE OVERTIME. WHAT WE WANT AND NEED ARE MORE CTLRS AT THIS FACILITY TO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FLYING PUBLIC.
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.