Narrative:

ZME is expanding from 5 specialties to 6. But the manner in which they are doing it is a safety hazard to the national airspace system. The 'new' 6TH area includes some of ZME's busiest; most complex airspace. Not many controllers volunteered to go to the new area; so all of the low-seniority; young; inexperienced controllers are being forced over there. There is no training plan for each controller. No controller has a training team -- you are just randomly paired with whatever instructor is available to train on any given day. Training is very inconsistent -- you may only train 1 day a week! Not enough time is being allowed to train -- only 20 hours on each sector! Controllers who have been certified on a new sector; are being forced to keep 'current' on that sector by logging 10 mins on the d-side (radar associate). Some controllers are having to remain current on up to 13 sectors! Controllers are being rushed to get certified by the end of the yr. With staffing being spread as thin as it is; this 6TH area is going to make the staffing problem even worse. When the new yr starts; that new area is going to be very unsafe! None of the controllers will be properly trained; none will be comfortable with those sectors; errors and deviations will skyrocket; and all of these result in a huge decline in safety! This 6TH area redesign needs to be stopped until a proper plan is implemented and until staffing permits.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZME CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING FACILITY STAFFING AND THE TRAINING PROVIDED FOR A NEW AREA BEING CREATED.

Narrative: ZME IS EXPANDING FROM 5 SPECIALTIES TO 6. BUT THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY ARE DOING IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO THE NATL AIRSPACE SYS. THE 'NEW' 6TH AREA INCLUDES SOME OF ZME'S BUSIEST; MOST COMPLEX AIRSPACE. NOT MANY CTLRS VOLUNTEERED TO GO TO THE NEW AREA; SO ALL OF THE LOW-SENIORITY; YOUNG; INEXPERIENCED CTLRS ARE BEING FORCED OVER THERE. THERE IS NO TRAINING PLAN FOR EACH CTLR. NO CTLR HAS A TRAINING TEAM -- YOU ARE JUST RANDOMLY PAIRED WITH WHATEVER INSTRUCTOR IS AVAILABLE TO TRAIN ON ANY GIVEN DAY. TRAINING IS VERY INCONSISTENT -- YOU MAY ONLY TRAIN 1 DAY A WK! NOT ENOUGH TIME IS BEING ALLOWED TO TRAIN -- ONLY 20 HRS ON EACH SECTOR! CTLRS WHO HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED ON A NEW SECTOR; ARE BEING FORCED TO KEEP 'CURRENT' ON THAT SECTOR BY LOGGING 10 MINS ON THE D-SIDE (RADAR ASSOCIATE). SOME CTLRS ARE HAVING TO REMAIN CURRENT ON UP TO 13 SECTORS! CTLRS ARE BEING RUSHED TO GET CERTIFIED BY THE END OF THE YR. WITH STAFFING BEING SPREAD AS THIN AS IT IS; THIS 6TH AREA IS GOING TO MAKE THE STAFFING PROB EVEN WORSE. WHEN THE NEW YR STARTS; THAT NEW AREA IS GOING TO BE VERY UNSAFE! NONE OF THE CTLRS WILL BE PROPERLY TRAINED; NONE WILL BE COMFORTABLE WITH THOSE SECTORS; ERRORS AND DEVS WILL SKYROCKET; AND ALL OF THESE RESULT IN A HUGE DECLINE IN SAFETY! THIS 6TH AREA REDESIGN NEEDS TO BE STOPPED UNTIL A PROPER PLAN IS IMPLEMENTED AND UNTIL STAFFING PERMITS.

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.