Narrative:

This report is simply to notify an agency that may care about the slipshod training practices for fpl's at socal TRACON. I don't want to make a blanket statement about the poor plan. The facility is using the absorb palm springs approach; as that is not my area of expertise. If the FAA believes that absorbing 3 or 4 more sectors into an area with only 30 cpc's that averages 53 overtime shifts a pay period; who am I to argue? Incidentally; there will be accidents due to lack of training for the palm springs controllers in the empire area of sct. My issue is the poor training I have been receiving at sct. From my start at coast approach; I worked an lax airport departure sector called newport. As you might imagine; it is busy and complicated with traffic from lax; lgb; and sna all mixed together. In 1998; a new area was created at sct called the 'departure area;' and I no longer worked the newport sector. Now that the FAA's staffing has reached the crisis stage; I am now being forced to work the newport sector again. My training consisted of 7 and 1/2 hours of radar instruction and 2 hours of handoff instruction; and then I was signed off. I have not worked that position since that day. The lack of an opportunity to retain an adequate level of currency has created a situation where the possibility of a mistake has become almost certain. Obviously; when that error inevitably occurs; my response will be; 'what did you expect; I haven't worked the position in yrs!' because of the FAA's poor leadership and its refusal to accept any criticism; these reports have become the only way for a controller to make a complaint.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SCT CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING THE FAC TRAINING PROGRAM; STAFFING AND NEW SECTOR AIRSPACE.

Narrative: THIS RPT IS SIMPLY TO NOTIFY AN AGENCY THAT MAY CARE ABOUT THE SLIPSHOD TRAINING PRACTICES FOR FPL'S AT SOCAL TRACON. I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A BLANKET STATEMENT ABOUT THE POOR PLAN. THE FACILITY IS USING THE ABSORB PALM SPRINGS APCH; AS THAT IS NOT MY AREA OF EXPERTISE. IF THE FAA BELIEVES THAT ABSORBING 3 OR 4 MORE SECTORS INTO AN AREA WITH ONLY 30 CPC'S THAT AVERAGES 53 OVERTIME SHIFTS A PAY PERIOD; WHO AM I TO ARGUE? INCIDENTALLY; THERE WILL BE ACCIDENTS DUE TO LACK OF TRAINING FOR THE PALM SPRINGS CTLRS IN THE EMPIRE AREA OF SCT. MY ISSUE IS THE POOR TRAINING I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING AT SCT. FROM MY START AT COAST APCH; I WORKED AN LAX ARPT DEP SECTOR CALLED NEWPORT. AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE; IT IS BUSY AND COMPLICATED WITH TFC FROM LAX; LGB; AND SNA ALL MIXED TOGETHER. IN 1998; A NEW AREA WAS CREATED AT SCT CALLED THE 'DEP AREA;' AND I NO LONGER WORKED THE NEWPORT SECTOR. NOW THAT THE FAA'S STAFFING HAS REACHED THE CRISIS STAGE; I AM NOW BEING FORCED TO WORK THE NEWPORT SECTOR AGAIN. MY TRAINING CONSISTED OF 7 AND 1/2 HRS OF RADAR INSTRUCTION AND 2 HRS OF HDOF INSTRUCTION; AND THEN I WAS SIGNED OFF. I HAVE NOT WORKED THAT POS SINCE THAT DAY. THE LACK OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO RETAIN AN ADEQUATE LEVEL OF CURRENCY HAS CREATED A SITUATION WHERE THE POSSIBILITY OF A MISTAKE HAS BECOME ALMOST CERTAIN. OBVIOUSLY; WHEN THAT ERROR INEVITABLY OCCURS; MY RESPONSE WILL BE; 'WHAT DID YOU EXPECT; I HAVEN'T WORKED THE POS IN YRS!' BECAUSE OF THE FAA'S POOR LEADERSHIP AND ITS REFUSAL TO ACCEPT ANY CRITICISM; THESE RPTS HAVE BECOME THE ONLY WAY FOR A CTLR TO MAKE A COMPLAINT.

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.