Narrative:

Training was in progress in radar east position; they were also working the final position combined. Aircraft X; a C172 was assigned a 010 degree heading from the south of the airport expecting runway 17L. Aircraft Y a CRJ2 was departing runway 17L climbing to 4000 ft per the SID on a 170 degree heading. Aircraft X was VFR and never given an altitude restr but was vectored from the south straight toward the departure end of runway 17L. When the trainee saw that the C172 was descending out of 4300 ft the trainee told the C172 to maintain VFR at 4000 ft; the same altitude as the CRJ2 was climbing to; head on. The instructor had to issue evasive instructions to save a midair collision. This is becoming the norm for trainees here at aus. Each new trainee is being given a number of hours to train on each radar position; which is unheard of and find it hard to believe the extra hours are doing the flying public any good. The extra hours are only increasing the chance that a trainee that should not be doing this job is being given more time to have a serious event occur between 2 or more aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AUS APCH CTLR DESCRIBED CONFLICT EVENT AT 4000 DURING OJT SESSION; ADDING CONCERNS REGARDING FACILITY TRAINING POLICY AND ATC SYSTEM RESULTS.

Narrative: TRAINING WAS IN PROGRESS IN RADAR E POS; THEY WERE ALSO WORKING THE FINAL POS COMBINED. ACFT X; A C172 WAS ASSIGNED A 010 DEG HDG FROM THE S OF THE ARPT EXPECTING RWY 17L. ACFT Y A CRJ2 WAS DEPARTING RWY 17L CLBING TO 4000 FT PER THE SID ON A 170 DEG HDG. ACFT X WAS VFR AND NEVER GIVEN AN ALT RESTR BUT WAS VECTORED FROM THE S STRAIGHT TOWARD THE DEP END OF RWY 17L. WHEN THE TRAINEE SAW THAT THE C172 WAS DSNDING OUT OF 4300 FT THE TRAINEE TOLD THE C172 TO MAINTAIN VFR AT 4000 FT; THE SAME ALT AS THE CRJ2 WAS CLBING TO; HEAD ON. THE INSTRUCTOR HAD TO ISSUE EVASIVE INSTRUCTIONS TO SAVE A MIDAIR COLLISION. THIS IS BECOMING THE NORM FOR TRAINEES HERE AT AUS. EACH NEW TRAINEE IS BEING GIVEN A NUMBER OF HRS TO TRAIN ON EACH RADAR POS; WHICH IS UNHEARD OF AND FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THE EXTRA HRS ARE DOING THE FLYING PUBLIC ANY GOOD. THE EXTRA HRS ARE ONLY INCREASING THE CHANCE THAT A TRAINEE THAT SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS JOB IS BEING GIVEN MORE TIME TO HAVE A SERIOUS EVENT OCCUR BTWN 2 OR MORE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.