Narrative:

Equipment issue. In the tower cabin attendant we have a control panel for the backup electrical generator. This generator provides power to the radar and associated equipment. A year or so ago a construction project cut the control cable for this panel. SOP used to be to use this control panel to manually turn on the generator during thunderstorms or when we anticipated electrical surges or issues with commercial power. This worked very well; I do not recall any problems with associated equipment. Now when we have a power issue; we wait in a dark room for generator to automatically come on line; wait for radar to power up; reboot ARTS. This usually takes a min or two. I have seen this process twice in an 8 hour shift. Administrative people say this is being 'worked on' or 'they are aware of the problem.' does FAA air traffic have such a poor relationship with af and airport administration (brown county) the repair cannot be completed? They seem to just not care. They are not the ones in the dark room staring at a blank radar. It has been over 1 yr.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GRB CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE CURRENT BACK UP PWR SYSTEM; ALLEGING CUT CABLE REDUCED TIMELY BACK UP PROCS.

Narrative: EQUIP ISSUE. IN THE TWR CAB WE HAVE A CTL PANEL FOR THE BACKUP ELECTRICAL GENERATOR. THIS GENERATOR PROVIDES PWR TO THE RADAR AND ASSOCIATED EQUIP. A YEAR OR SO AGO A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT CUT THE CTL CABLE FOR THIS PANEL. SOP USED TO BE TO USE THIS CTL PANEL TO MANUALLY TURN ON THE GENERATOR DURING TSTMS OR WHEN WE ANTICIPATED ELECTRICAL SURGES OR ISSUES WITH COMMERCIAL PWR. THIS WORKED VERY WELL; I DO NOT RECALL ANY PROBS WITH ASSOCIATED EQUIP. NOW WHEN WE HAVE A PWR ISSUE; WE WAIT IN A DARK ROOM FOR GENERATOR TO AUTOMATICALLY COME ON LINE; WAIT FOR RADAR TO PWR UP; REBOOT ARTS. THIS USUALLY TAKES A MIN OR TWO. I HAVE SEEN THIS PROCESS TWICE IN AN 8 HR SHIFT. ADMINISTRATIVE PEOPLE SAY THIS IS BEING 'WORKED ON' OR 'THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROB.' DOES FAA AIR TFC HAVE SUCH A POOR RELATIONSHIP WITH AF AND ARPT ADMINISTRATION (BROWN COUNTY) THE REPAIR CANNOT BE COMPLETED? THEY SEEM TO JUST NOT CARE. THEY ARE NOT THE ONES IN THE DARK ROOM STARING AT A BLANK RADAR. IT HAS BEEN OVER 1 YR.

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.