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Phl approach controller expressed concern regarding a change to the rarely used SAPRS1 procedure during busy traffic period.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 758969 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200710 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : phl.airport |
| State Reference | PA |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 10 controller radar : 18 controller time certified in position1 : 17 |
| ASRS Report | 758969 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : phl.tracon |
Narrative:
I was working the north arrival sector at phl. During this session the winds had increased to the point that our secondary runway (35) was not being utilized for arrs due to the tailwind component. The supervisors on duty decided to run an operation called 'SAPRS1.' this procedure is rarely used and caused a vast amount of confusion to all arrival sectors. I do not believe all required coordination was completed; associated airspace to run this procedure was not obtained from adjacent facilities; and personnel working these arrival sectors were not told who the first aircraft to run this procedure was. Since this is a seldom used procedure trying to implement it during a heavy arrival bank without ensuring all personnel understand their responsibilities is a severe safety risk. At the minimum phl should have stayed 'status quo;' until all personnel were briefed and were comfortable with the operation. Additionally I feel this procedure should become a mandatory briefing item quarterly to keep personnel familiar with this procedure.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PHL APCH CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING A CHANGE TO THE RARELY USED SAPRS1 PROC DURING BUSY TFC PERIOD.
Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE N ARR SECTOR AT PHL. DURING THIS SESSION THE WINDS HAD INCREASED TO THE POINT THAT OUR SECONDARY RWY (35) WAS NOT BEING UTILIZED FOR ARRS DUE TO THE TAILWIND COMPONENT. THE SUPVRS ON DUTY DECIDED TO RUN AN OP CALLED 'SAPRS1.' THIS PROC IS RARELY USED AND CAUSED A VAST AMOUNT OF CONFUSION TO ALL ARR SECTORS. I DO NOT BELIEVE ALL REQUIRED COORD WAS COMPLETED; ASSOCIATED AIRSPACE TO RUN THIS PROC WAS NOT OBTAINED FROM ADJACENT FACILITIES; AND PERSONNEL WORKING THESE ARR SECTORS WERE NOT TOLD WHO THE FIRST ACFT TO RUN THIS PROC WAS. SINCE THIS IS A SELDOM USED PROC TRYING TO IMPLEMENT IT DURING A HVY ARR BANK WITHOUT ENSURING ALL PERSONNEL UNDERSTAND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES IS A SEVERE SAFETY RISK. AT THE MINIMUM PHL SHOULD HAVE STAYED 'STATUS QUO;' UNTIL ALL PERSONNEL WERE BRIEFED AND WERE COMFORTABLE WITH THE OP. ADDITIONALLY I FEEL THIS PROC SHOULD BECOME A MANDATORY BRIEFING ITEM QUARTERLY TO KEEP PERSONNEL FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROC.
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.