Mgm controller expressed concern regarding tower visibility restrs caused by condensation; citing li...

Narrative:

Upon opening the control tower this morning; I found all 12 windows to be completely covered on the exterior with condensation. The tower has an external sprinkler system to rinse the condensation off the windows; but it only works on 5 of the 12 windows. The rest of the system has been out of service for a couple of months. Having 58% of the windows unusable makes it impossible to see the final approach course for runway 28 and very hard to see the numbers to ensure safety of departures. Some towers have a hose on the catwalk to allow the controllers to hose off the windows; but we don't have a hose; plus access to the catwalk requires some physical prowess as you must exit through a small door (about 30 inches X 30 inches) from a wall-mounted ladder. And of course; we would have to do this in business casual attire. Plus; only one person opens the tower cabin attendant and this would require extra time; possibly resulting in the late opening of the tower. It would seem that the FAA should invest the money to repair systems that impact safety; even if they aren't the more glamorous or obvious ones.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MGM CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING TOWER VIS RESTRS CAUSED BY CONDENSATION; CITING LIMITED CAPACITY OF EXTERNAL SPRINKLER SYSTEM AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Narrative: UPON OPENING THE CTL TOWER THIS MORNING; I FOUND ALL 12 WINDOWS TO BE COMPLETELY COVERED ON THE EXTERIOR WITH CONDENSATION. THE TOWER HAS AN EXTERNAL SPRINKLER SYSTEM TO RINSE THE CONDENSATION OFF THE WINDOWS; BUT IT ONLY WORKS ON 5 OF THE 12 WINDOWS. THE REST OF THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. HAVING 58% OF THE WINDOWS UNUSABLE MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR RWY 28 AND VERY HARD TO SEE THE NUMBERS TO ENSURE SAFETY OF DEPS. SOME TOWERS HAVE A HOSE ON THE CATWALK TO ALLOW THE CTLRS TO HOSE OFF THE WINDOWS; BUT WE DON'T HAVE A HOSE; PLUS ACCESS TO THE CATWALK REQUIRES SOME PHYSICAL PROWESS AS YOU MUST EXIT THROUGH A SMALL DOOR (ABOUT 30 INCHES X 30 INCHES) FROM A WALL-MOUNTED LADDER. AND OF COURSE; WE WOULD HAVE TO DO THIS IN BUSINESS CASUAL ATTIRE. PLUS; ONLY ONE PERSON OPENS THE TOWER CAB AND THIS WOULD REQUIRE EXTRA TIME; POSSIBLY RESULTING IN THE LATE OPENING OF THE TOWER. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE FAA SHOULD INVEST THE MONEY TO REPAIR SYSTEMS THAT IMPACT SAFETY; EVEN IF THEY AREN'T THE MORE GLAMOROUS OR OBVIOUS ONES.

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.

Attributes
ACN	747620
Time
Date	200707
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mgm.tower
State Reference	AL
Environment
Light	Dawn
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 20 controller time certified in position1 : 2.0 controller time certified in position2 : 5
ASRS Report	747620
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility
Primary Problem	ATC Facility
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Mgm controller expressed concern regarding tower visibility restrs caused by condensation; citing limited capacity of external sprinkler system as a contributing factor.