Narrative:

Safety is being compromised because of reduction of staffing on the XA15 to XI15 shift; monday through friday. The south area consists of 7 sectors; 3 high altitude sectors and 4 low altitude sectors. They control overflt traffic as well as inbound traffic to several airports. Management has decided to reduce the staffing on this shift from 4 controllers to 3 controllers. The following reasons are why it is unsafe to reduce the shift staffing in the ZME/south area: 1) the area works and provides in-trail spacing for mem arrs from the southwest over the ujm arrival gate. The arrs last until XX30 and when mem is in a south confign it is not uncommon for the area to have to hold several of these arrs. Normally; this holding occurs after XC00. 2) the area also assumes the responsibilities of 2 approach controls: jan and mei. There are several scheduled air carrier's; air taxies; and GA aircraft that arrive and depart from these terminal areas. When the WX is IFR or MVFR these aircraft require increased handling due to approach clrncs or departure clrncs. 3) the area works departures from mem to the west and south. If WX impacts the mem terminal; these departures can be delayed and cause increased workload on the area between XG30 and XI30. 4) the area also works arrs and departures into dfw; atl; and iah. If these airports have been in any type of delay during the day their arrs or departures can have a major impact on the area. The WX can impact several of these major hub airports at one time and can cause a dramatic increase of traffic in the area. 5) the area also has 2 training bases (nmm and cbm) that are located within or next to the confines of the airspace. It is not uncommon for nmm or cbm to start flying training missions during the spring; summer; and early fall months prior to XH00 local since both of these MOA's are active at sunrise. At nmm; mei; approach does not open until XJ0 local and it is necessary for the area to provide departure and inbound clrncs on the aircraft from nmm. 6) the area also is required to staff 2 a-sides on the involved shifts. With the increased awareness on the requirement to disseminate WX reports in a timely manner this has added an additional burden on the involved-shift crew to ensure that the strips are pulled and properly disseminated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZME CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING FAC STAFFING REDUCTIONS IN THE SOUTH AREA DURING MID SHIFTS.

Narrative: SAFETY IS BEING COMPROMISED BECAUSE OF REDUCTION OF STAFFING ON THE XA15 TO XI15 SHIFT; MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THE S AREA CONSISTS OF 7 SECTORS; 3 HIGH ALT SECTORS AND 4 LOW ALT SECTORS. THEY CTL OVERFLT TFC AS WELL AS INBOUND TFC TO SEVERAL ARPTS. MGMNT HAS DECIDED TO REDUCE THE STAFFING ON THIS SHIFT FROM 4 CTLRS TO 3 CTLRS. THE FOLLOWING REASONS ARE WHY IT IS UNSAFE TO REDUCE THE SHIFT STAFFING IN THE ZME/SOUTH AREA: 1) THE AREA WORKS AND PROVIDES IN-TRAIL SPACING FOR MEM ARRS FROM THE SW OVER THE UJM ARR GATE. THE ARRS LAST UNTIL XX30 AND WHEN MEM IS IN A S CONFIGN IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THE AREA TO HAVE TO HOLD SEVERAL OF THESE ARRS. NORMALLY; THIS HOLDING OCCURS AFTER XC00. 2) THE AREA ALSO ASSUMES THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF 2 APCH CTLS: JAN AND MEI. THERE ARE SEVERAL SCHEDULED ACR'S; AIR TAXIES; AND GA ACFT THAT ARRIVE AND DEPART FROM THESE TERMINAL AREAS. WHEN THE WX IS IFR OR MVFR THESE ACFT REQUIRE INCREASED HANDLING DUE TO APCH CLRNCS OR DEP CLRNCS. 3) THE AREA WORKS DEPS FROM MEM TO THE W AND S. IF WX IMPACTS THE MEM TERMINAL; THESE DEPS CAN BE DELAYED AND CAUSE INCREASED WORKLOAD ON THE AREA BTWN XG30 AND XI30. 4) THE AREA ALSO WORKS ARRS AND DEPS INTO DFW; ATL; AND IAH. IF THESE ARPTS HAVE BEEN IN ANY TYPE OF DELAY DURING THE DAY THEIR ARRS OR DEPS CAN HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON THE AREA. THE WX CAN IMPACT SEVERAL OF THESE MAJOR HUB ARPTS AT ONE TIME AND CAN CAUSE A DRAMATIC INCREASE OF TFC IN THE AREA. 5) THE AREA ALSO HAS 2 TRAINING BASES (NMM AND CBM) THAT ARE LOCATED WITHIN OR NEXT TO THE CONFINES OF THE AIRSPACE. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR NMM OR CBM TO START FLYING TRAINING MISSIONS DURING THE SPRING; SUMMER; AND EARLY FALL MONTHS PRIOR TO XH00 LCL SINCE BOTH OF THESE MOA'S ARE ACTIVE AT SUNRISE. AT NMM; MEI; APCH DOES NOT OPEN UNTIL XJ0 LCL AND IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE AREA TO PROVIDE DEP AND INBOUND CLRNCS ON THE ACFT FROM NMM. 6) THE AREA ALSO IS REQUIRED TO STAFF 2 A-SIDES ON THE INVOLVED SHIFTS. WITH THE INCREASED AWARENESS ON THE REQUIREMENT TO DISSEMINATE WX RPTS IN A TIMELY MANNER THIS HAS ADDED AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON THE INVOLVED-SHIFT CREW TO ENSURE THAT THE STRIPS ARE PULLED AND PROPERLY DISSEMINATED.

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.