Narrative:

A80 (atlanta TRACON) was given airspace around ahn (athens) from ZTL (atlanta center). The primary reason that we have been told that the airspace was xferred to A80 is because ZTL needed the space for another sector. It's been over 1 yr and from what I've been told they still aren't using that space. My main concerns with this xfer of responsibility lies in the fact that we now have terminal controllers working airspace with center radar center rules; and no WX depiction. Due to the extreme staffing shortage at A80; it would be safer to at least limit the hours that A80 has control of the airspace; due primarily to the facts that ZTL is still watching the same airspace and working the traffic above this airspace and A80 is regularly working 6 day work weeks and 2 - 2 1/2 hours on position. There is a limit to how long the controllers can continue to work this many days with this many hours before there will be errors. There is no relief in sight; at least not for a couple of yrs. The FAA has hired several controllers with very limited and mostly no practical experiences to work at the busiest approach control in the country. At the same time the senior controllers are retiring as soon as they are eligible. Even if they just limit the time that A80 uses this airspace there is a bigger safety issue at hand. Thus far; there is no WX depiction on the radar making it impossible for the controllers to assist the pilots; which consist mostly of GA pilots with limited WX radar resources. It is very frustrating and unsafe to work a position and not assist the pilots around the WX; since that is the leading cause of GA accidents.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A80 CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING BOTH NEWLY ASSIGNED AIRSPACE AND PROCS THAT UTILIZE ENROUTE RADAR. CTLR ALSO RPTS STAFFING SHORTAGES.

Narrative: A80 (ATLANTA TRACON) WAS GIVEN AIRSPACE AROUND AHN (ATHENS) FROM ZTL (ATLANTA CTR). THE PRIMARY REASON THAT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE AIRSPACE WAS XFERRED TO A80 IS BECAUSE ZTL NEEDED THE SPACE FOR ANOTHER SECTOR. IT'S BEEN OVER 1 YR AND FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD THEY STILL AREN'T USING THAT SPACE. MY MAIN CONCERNS WITH THIS XFER OF RESPONSIBILITY LIES IN THE FACT THAT WE NOW HAVE TERMINAL CTLRS WORKING AIRSPACE WITH CTR RADAR CTR RULES; AND NO WX DEPICTION. DUE TO THE EXTREME STAFFING SHORTAGE AT A80; IT WOULD BE SAFER TO AT LEAST LIMIT THE HRS THAT A80 HAS CTL OF THE AIRSPACE; DUE PRIMARILY TO THE FACTS THAT ZTL IS STILL WATCHING THE SAME AIRSPACE AND WORKING THE TFC ABOVE THIS AIRSPACE AND A80 IS REGULARLY WORKING 6 DAY WORK WKS AND 2 - 2 1/2 HRS ON POS. THERE IS A LIMIT TO HOW LONG THE CTLRS CAN CONTINUE TO WORK THIS MANY DAYS WITH THIS MANY HRS BEFORE THERE WILL BE ERRORS. THERE IS NO RELIEF IN SIGHT; AT LEAST NOT FOR A COUPLE OF YRS. THE FAA HAS HIRED SEVERAL CTLRS WITH VERY LIMITED AND MOSTLY NO PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES TO WORK AT THE BUSIEST APCH CTL IN THE COUNTRY. AT THE SAME TIME THE SENIOR CTLRS ARE RETIRING AS SOON AS THEY ARE ELIGIBLE. EVEN IF THEY JUST LIMIT THE TIME THAT A80 USES THIS AIRSPACE THERE IS A BIGGER SAFETY ISSUE AT HAND. THUS FAR; THERE IS NO WX DEPICTION ON THE RADAR MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE CTLRS TO ASSIST THE PLTS; WHICH CONSIST MOSTLY OF GA PLTS WITH LIMITED WX RADAR RESOURCES. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND UNSAFE TO WORK A POS AND NOT ASSIST THE PLTS AROUND THE WX; SINCE THAT IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF GA ACCIDENTS.

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.