Narrative:

I was working the left parallel monitor position between XA00 and XB00 local time on jan/sun/07. When I first opened the position the runways were contaminated with a snow and ice mix; but the monitors were not yet in use because only 1 runway was in use. The IDS4 equipment at that time said the runways were just wet. When the second runway was put into use; and the monitors were needed the runways were treated as if they were just wet. The difference between wet and contaminated change our separation standards and are important to be kept apprised of. The downwind leg of the pattern was going out past 20 mi as required; and every aircraft was exiting the class B airspace because it doesn't extend beyond 20 mi. As required the arrival controller was advising every aircraft that they were exiting the class B airspace. The aircraft would then be cleared for the approach and be changed to the tower frequency for monitoring. This is where the problem begins. After they are on the monitor the aircraft then reenter the class B airspace; and by requirement the monitor has to tell each aircraft they are reentering the airspace. When I do this it creates a potentially dangerous situation whereby I am overriding the tower controller to advise the aircraft that they are reentering the class B airspace. If the tower had a situation that required immediate control instructions the monitor could potentially be on the frequency; and this could have disastrous consequences.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C90 CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE LACK OF TIMELY AND PROPER INFO ON THE IDS4; FREQ OVERRIDE ISSUES AND CLASS B EXITS DURING SIMULTANEOUS PROCS.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE L PARALLEL MONITOR POS BTWN XA00 AND XB00 LCL TIME ON JAN/SUN/07. WHEN I FIRST OPENED THE POS THE RWYS WERE CONTAMINATED WITH A SNOW AND ICE MIX; BUT THE MONITORS WERE NOT YET IN USE BECAUSE ONLY 1 RWY WAS IN USE. THE IDS4 EQUIP AT THAT TIME SAID THE RWYS WERE JUST WET. WHEN THE SECOND RWY WAS PUT INTO USE; AND THE MONITORS WERE NEEDED THE RWYS WERE TREATED AS IF THEY WERE JUST WET. THE DIFFERENCE BTWN WET AND CONTAMINATED CHANGE OUR SEPARATION STANDARDS AND ARE IMPORTANT TO BE KEPT APPRISED OF. THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE PATTERN WAS GOING OUT PAST 20 MI AS REQUIRED; AND EVERY ACFT WAS EXITING THE CLASS B AIRSPACE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T EXTEND BEYOND 20 MI. AS REQUIRED THE ARR CTLR WAS ADVISING EVERY ACFT THAT THEY WERE EXITING THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. THE ACFT WOULD THEN BE CLRED FOR THE APCH AND BE CHANGED TO THE TWR FREQ FOR MONITORING. THIS IS WHERE THE PROB BEGINS. AFTER THEY ARE ON THE MONITOR THE ACFT THEN REENTER THE CLASS B AIRSPACE; AND BY REQUIREMENT THE MONITOR HAS TO TELL EACH ACFT THEY ARE REENTERING THE AIRSPACE. WHEN I DO THIS IT CREATES A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEREBY I AM OVERRIDING THE TWR CTLR TO ADVISE THE ACFT THAT THEY ARE REENTERING THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. IF THE TWR HAD A SITUATION THAT REQUIRED IMMEDIATE CTL INSTRUCTIONS THE MONITOR COULD POTENTIALLY BE ON THE FREQ; AND THIS COULD HAVE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES.

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.