Narrative:

The temperature in the tower cabin attendant at asheville tower fluctuates between extremes of hot and cold. Controllers have no control over the temperature; except by a thermostat with no visual indication of the amount of change being made. The system is computer-controled by the airport authority/authorized; and supposedly set to operate within a +/-5 degree range. When the temperature becomes uncomfortably hot; minor movements of the thermostat control will sometimes make a major difference; causing it to become uncomfortably cold. At other times; larger movements of the control will have no effect. The same applies for when the temperature is uncomfortably cold. At other times; the temperature will fluctuate between uncomfortably hot and uncomfortably cold with no user intervention whatsoever. I consider this to be a safety issue; because it is easy to become distraction by these temperature issues; making it difficult to focus on the traffic. Attempts to maintain an even temperature require constant changes at the thermostat control; which is across the tower from the position of operation and require turning your back on the runway. Ucr's have been filed; verbal and written complaints have been made; and the situation was even included in a report to congress several months ago. The airport authority/authorized has made some attempts to correct the problem but it continues unresolved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AVL CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING THE TEMPERATURE ENVIRONMENT IN THE TWR CAB WHICH IS CONTROLLED BY THE ARPT AUTHORITY.

Narrative: THE TEMP IN THE TWR CAB AT ASHEVILLE TWR FLUCTUATES BTWN EXTREMES OF HOT AND COLD. CTLRS HAVE NO CTL OVER THE TEMP; EXCEPT BY A THERMOSTAT WITH NO VISUAL INDICATION OF THE AMOUNT OF CHANGE BEING MADE. THE SYS IS COMPUTER-CTLED BY THE ARPT AUTH; AND SUPPOSEDLY SET TO OPERATE WITHIN A +/-5 DEG RANGE. WHEN THE TEMP BECOMES UNCOMFORTABLY HOT; MINOR MOVEMENTS OF THE THERMOSTAT CTL WILL SOMETIMES MAKE A MAJOR DIFFERENCE; CAUSING IT TO BECOME UNCOMFORTABLY COLD. AT OTHER TIMES; LARGER MOVEMENTS OF THE CTL WILL HAVE NO EFFECT. THE SAME APPLIES FOR WHEN THE TEMP IS UNCOMFORTABLY COLD. AT OTHER TIMES; THE TEMP WILL FLUCTUATE BTWN UNCOMFORTABLY HOT AND UNCOMFORTABLY COLD WITH NO USER INTERVENTION WHATSOEVER. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE; BECAUSE IT IS EASY TO BECOME DISTR BY THESE TEMP ISSUES; MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO FOCUS ON THE TFC. ATTEMPTS TO MAINTAIN AN EVEN TEMP REQUIRE CONSTANT CHANGES AT THE THERMOSTAT CTL; WHICH IS ACROSS THE TWR FROM THE POS OF OP AND REQUIRE TURNING YOUR BACK ON THE RWY. UCR'S HAVE BEEN FILED; VERBAL AND WRITTEN COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE; AND THE SIT WAS EVEN INCLUDED IN A RPT TO CONGRESS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. THE ARPT AUTH HAS MADE SOME ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE PROB BUT IT CONTINUES UNRESOLVED.

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.