 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A80 controller expressed concern regarding the decision to move ILS controls from the TRACON to the tower.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 718291 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200611 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : a80.tracon |
| State Reference | GA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach controller : handoff position controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : non radar controller : radar pilot : instrument |
| Experience | controller limited radar : 20 controller non radar : 20 controller radar : 20 controller time certified in position1 : 1.75 flight time total : 220 |
| ASRS Report | 718291 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : a80.tracon |
Narrative:
About 7 months ago; someone in the FAA decided to relocate the ILS control panels from the approach control to the tower. The atl tower has had numerous instances where the ILS(south) were turned on or off at wrong times. It is even a procedure that the supervisor in the TRACON 'remind' the tower supervisor to turn ILS's on and off. In this specific instance; 2 aircraft were being vectored for ILS runway 9L (because runway 9R was closed) and both were about 5 mi from the localizer when the tower called and said that runway 9R was open. The tower apparently turned the ILS runway 9L off and ILS 9R on while the aircraft were being issued approach clrncs to ILS runway 9L. This all occurred in a matter of 15 seconds. Historically; the ILS control panels have been in the TRACON where the user receives the service by the controller. It is also historical that the approach (TRACON) decides what approach to use; not the tower. Situations like this create a dangerous safety situation; where the aircraft could be using an ILS that is turned off prematurely; because the aircraft are outside of the view and purview of the tower. This could lead to a CFIT accident. I recommend that all ILS control panels are returned to their rightful; common sense place; in the TRACON and approach controls across the country.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A80 CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE DECISION TO MOVE ILS CTLS FROM THE TRACON TO THE TWR.
Narrative: ABOUT 7 MONTHS AGO; SOMEONE IN THE FAA DECIDED TO RELOCATE THE ILS CTL PANELS FROM THE APCH CTL TO THE TWR. THE ATL TWR HAS HAD NUMEROUS INSTANCES WHERE THE ILS(S) WERE TURNED ON OR OFF AT WRONG TIMES. IT IS EVEN A PROC THAT THE SUPVR IN THE TRACON 'REMIND' THE TWR SUPVR TO TURN ILS'S ON AND OFF. IN THIS SPECIFIC INSTANCE; 2 ACFT WERE BEING VECTORED FOR ILS RWY 9L (BECAUSE RWY 9R WAS CLOSED) AND BOTH WERE ABOUT 5 MI FROM THE LOC WHEN THE TWR CALLED AND SAID THAT RWY 9R WAS OPEN. THE TWR APPARENTLY TURNED THE ILS RWY 9L OFF AND ILS 9R ON WHILE THE ACFT WERE BEING ISSUED APCH CLRNCS TO ILS RWY 9L. THIS ALL OCCURRED IN A MATTER OF 15 SECONDS. HISTORICALLY; THE ILS CTL PANELS HAVE BEEN IN THE TRACON WHERE THE USER RECEIVES THE SVC BY THE CTLR. IT IS ALSO HISTORICAL THAT THE APCH (TRACON) DECIDES WHAT APCH TO USE; NOT THE TWR. SITUATIONS LIKE THIS CREATE A DANGEROUS SAFETY SITUATION; WHERE THE ACFT COULD BE USING AN ILS THAT IS TURNED OFF PREMATURELY; BECAUSE THE ACFT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE VIEW AND PURVIEW OF THE TWR. THIS COULD LEAD TO A CFIT ACCIDENT. I RECOMMEND THAT ALL ILS CTL PANELS ARE RETURNED TO THEIR RIGHTFUL; COMMON SENSE PLACE; IN THE TRACON AND APCH CTLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
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.