Narrative:

This morning I was assigned to work in the radar approach control at mem ATCT. At XA59 local; I signed on to take a briefing to open the east parallel final position. WX conditions were marginal VFR at best and solid IFR at worst with winds from various directions at different altitudes; including a general tailwind above 1500 ft MSL. For most of my time on the east parallel final; simultaneous ILS approachs were in use. I was finally relieved from position at XD15. There were at least 3 other people that went over 2 hours on position that morning; one for almost 2 hours and 40 mins. There was a new supervisor in charge; and I am not sure if he was unable to establish a regular break rotation because of his relative inexperience with our facility or if he simply did not have enough people present to run the shift. In conditions such as that morning; a high level of concentration is required to maintain a safe; expeditious flow of traffic. This is difficult for anyone to do for 2 hours or more at a time. Now add the fact that many of us are working 6 day weeks and/or occasional 10 hour days; and you can imagine that controllers are getting tired. Our facility has numerous developmental; but the majority of them won't be fully certified for more than a yr.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING TIME ON POSITION; SUGGESTING EITHER STAFFING SHORTAGES AND/OR LACK OF SUPVR OVERSIGHT.

Narrative: THIS MORNING I WAS ASSIGNED TO WORK IN THE RADAR APCH CTL AT MEM ATCT. AT XA59 LCL; I SIGNED ON TO TAKE A BRIEFING TO OPEN THE E PARALLEL FINAL POS. WX CONDITIONS WERE MARGINAL VFR AT BEST AND SOLID IFR AT WORST WITH WINDS FROM VARIOUS DIRECTIONS AT DIFFERENT ALTS; INCLUDING A GENERAL TAILWIND ABOVE 1500 FT MSL. FOR MOST OF MY TIME ON THE E PARALLEL FINAL; SIMULTANEOUS ILS APCHS WERE IN USE. I WAS FINALLY RELIEVED FROM POS AT XD15. THERE WERE AT LEAST 3 OTHER PEOPLE THAT WENT OVER 2 HRS ON POS THAT MORNING; ONE FOR ALMOST 2 HRS AND 40 MINS. THERE WAS A NEW SUPVR IN CHARGE; AND I AM NOT SURE IF HE WAS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH A REGULAR BREAK ROTATION BECAUSE OF HIS RELATIVE INEXPERIENCE WITH OUR FACILITY OR IF HE SIMPLY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE PRESENT TO RUN THE SHIFT. IN CONDITIONS SUCH AS THAT MORNING; A HIGH LEVEL OF CONCENTRATION IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A SAFE; EXPEDITIOUS FLOW OF TFC. THIS IS DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE TO DO FOR 2 HRS OR MORE AT A TIME. NOW ADD THE FACT THAT MANY OF US ARE WORKING 6 DAY WKS AND/OR OCCASIONAL 10 HR DAYS; AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT CTLRS ARE GETTING TIRED. OUR FACILITY HAS NUMEROUS DEVELOPMENTAL; BUT THE MAJORITY OF THEM WON'T BE FULLY CERTIFIED FOR MORE THAN A YR.

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.