Narrative:

Several months ago; pensacola TRACON (P31) changed over from ASR-9 radar to ASR-11. When that change was made; selectable WX panels were installed to protect WX on the individual radar scopes. Unfortunately; only 2 panels were installed for the entire TRACON. There are no procedures in place at the TRACON as to how these panels are set; who is going to set them; and what levels of WX are going to be presented. For example; if a controller is sitting at the pensacola bank of radar scopes; and WX levels 1-6 are available to be displayed; the controller has to physically turn away from his scope to look across the room to see what levels of WX are being displayed on his scope. If procedures were in place to determine what levels of WX will be displayed this would not be an issue. However; since this 1 panel controls 6 scopes; individual controllers and supervisors will change the WX level setting without telling the rest of the controllers working off this panel. Safety is compromised when I look back at the WX panel with 6 levels available and make a judgement call to vector planes and disseminate WX information based on those settings last seen on the panel. Someone then changes those settings without your knowledge. For example; with 6 levels of WX available; the settings last seen are 3 and 5. You can then make an intelligent guess where the 4 and 6 levels are within those cells. If someone changes those settings to 2 and 4; the extreme precipitation is left off and you are vectoring aircraft towards holes that might not be there. Each individual scope in most tracons has their own WX panel. With the FAA's big push for safety; holding controllers accountable; and constant drilling of WX issues; and reporting; I feel this is a major issue being overlooked for financial reasons at the expense of the flying public. I just hope it does not have to go on my conscience if I or someone I work with mistakenly vectors a plane through a level 5 or 6 cell so the FAA can save a few bucks by not having the proper equipment installed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: P31 CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING NEW ASR-11 EQUIP AVAILABLE WX LEVELS AND ACCESS TO SAME.

Narrative: SEVERAL MONTHS AGO; PENSACOLA TRACON (P31) CHANGED OVER FROM ASR-9 RADAR TO ASR-11. WHEN THAT CHANGE WAS MADE; SELECTABLE WX PANELS WERE INSTALLED TO PROTECT WX ON THE INDIVIDUAL RADAR SCOPES. UNFORTUNATELY; ONLY 2 PANELS WERE INSTALLED FOR THE ENTIRE TRACON. THERE ARE NO PROCS IN PLACE AT THE TRACON AS TO HOW THESE PANELS ARE SET; WHO IS GOING TO SET THEM; AND WHAT LEVELS OF WX ARE GOING TO BE PRESENTED. FOR EXAMPLE; IF A CTLR IS SITTING AT THE PENSACOLA BANK OF RADAR SCOPES; AND WX LEVELS 1-6 ARE AVAILABLE TO BE DISPLAYED; THE CTLR HAS TO PHYSICALLY TURN AWAY FROM HIS SCOPE TO LOOK ACROSS THE ROOM TO SEE WHAT LEVELS OF WX ARE BEING DISPLAYED ON HIS SCOPE. IF PROCS WERE IN PLACE TO DETERMINE WHAT LEVELS OF WX WILL BE DISPLAYED THIS WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE. HOWEVER; SINCE THIS 1 PANEL CTLS 6 SCOPES; INDIVIDUAL CTLRS AND SUPVRS WILL CHANGE THE WX LEVEL SETTING WITHOUT TELLING THE REST OF THE CTLRS WORKING OFF THIS PANEL. SAFETY IS COMPROMISED WHEN I LOOK BACK AT THE WX PANEL WITH 6 LEVELS AVAILABLE AND MAKE A JUDGEMENT CALL TO VECTOR PLANES AND DISSEMINATE WX INFO BASED ON THOSE SETTINGS LAST SEEN ON THE PANEL. SOMEONE THEN CHANGES THOSE SETTINGS WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE. FOR EXAMPLE; WITH 6 LEVELS OF WX AVAILABLE; THE SETTINGS LAST SEEN ARE 3 AND 5. YOU CAN THEN MAKE AN INTELLIGENT GUESS WHERE THE 4 AND 6 LEVELS ARE WITHIN THOSE CELLS. IF SOMEONE CHANGES THOSE SETTINGS TO 2 AND 4; THE EXTREME PRECIP IS LEFT OFF AND YOU ARE VECTORING ACFT TOWARDS HOLES THAT MIGHT NOT BE THERE. EACH INDIVIDUAL SCOPE IN MOST TRACONS HAS THEIR OWN WX PANEL. WITH THE FAA'S BIG PUSH FOR SAFETY; HOLDING CTLRS ACCOUNTABLE; AND CONSTANT DRILLING OF WX ISSUES; AND RPTING; I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE BEING OVERLOOKED FOR FINANCIAL REASONS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE FLYING PUBLIC. I JUST HOPE IT DOES NOT HAVE TO GO ON MY CONSCIENCE IF I OR SOMEONE I WORK WITH MISTAKENLY VECTORS A PLANE THROUGH A LEVEL 5 OR 6 CELL SO THE FAA CAN SAVE A FEW BUCKS BY NOT HAVING THE PROPER EQUIP INSTALLED.

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.