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ZHU controller voiced concern regarding FSS practice of calling sectors directly relaying low priority information resulting in unwanted distrs.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 758962 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200710 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zhu.artcc |
| State Reference | TX |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : military controller : non radar controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 8 controller non radar : 4 controller radar : 12 controller supervisory : 6 flight time total : 7 |
| ASRS Report | 758962 |
| Events | |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : zhu.artcc |
Narrative:
Various flight service station calls are coming directly to active radar sectors in this facility (ZHU). These calls are for radio tower light outage notifications. These are very low priority calls that in the past were placed to the supervisors' position. Controllers are now receiving these calls while working busy traffic. Here is the impact: controller is working busy traffic. Controller begins receiving a land-line call (notification by a chiming noise). Controller answers the call -- many times not knowing who is calling (this is due to how our vscs communications equipment is set up). Controller may be expecting the call to be from FSS for an IFR clearance. Controller is then confronted with an FSS person wanting to relay a tower light outage to the sector. Up to this point; the controller has been distraction from higher priority duties such as separating aircraft from other aircraft and airspace. If controller terminates the call without taking the information; they then have to 'reacquaint' themselves with the 'picture.' if the controller does take the information; they then spend more time away from their higher priority safety duties.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZHU CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING FSS PRACTICE OF CALLING SECTORS DIRECTLY RELAYING LOW PRIORITY INFO RESULTING IN UNWANTED DISTRS.
Narrative: VARIOUS FLT SVC STATION CALLS ARE COMING DIRECTLY TO ACTIVE RADAR SECTORS IN THIS FACILITY (ZHU). THESE CALLS ARE FOR RADIO TWR LIGHT OUTAGE NOTIFICATIONS. THESE ARE VERY LOW PRIORITY CALLS THAT IN THE PAST WERE PLACED TO THE SUPVRS' POS. CTLRS ARE NOW RECEIVING THESE CALLS WHILE WORKING BUSY TFC. HERE IS THE IMPACT: CTLR IS WORKING BUSY TFC. CTLR BEGINS RECEIVING A LAND-LINE CALL (NOTIFICATION BY A CHIMING NOISE). CTLR ANSWERS THE CALL -- MANY TIMES NOT KNOWING WHO IS CALLING (THIS IS DUE TO HOW OUR VSCS COMS EQUIP IS SET UP). CTLR MAY BE EXPECTING THE CALL TO BE FROM FSS FOR AN IFR CLRNC. CTLR IS THEN CONFRONTED WITH AN FSS PERSON WANTING TO RELAY A TWR LIGHT OUTAGE TO THE SECTOR. UP TO THIS POINT; THE CTLR HAS BEEN DISTR FROM HIGHER PRIORITY DUTIES SUCH AS SEPARATING ACFT FROM OTHER ACFT AND AIRSPACE. IF CTLR TERMINATES THE CALL WITHOUT TAKING THE INFO; THEY THEN HAVE TO 'REACQUAINT' THEMSELVES WITH THE 'PICTURE.' IF THE CTLR DOES TAKE THE INFO; THEY THEN SPEND MORE TIME AWAY FROM THEIR HIGHER PRIORITY SAFETY DUTIES.
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.