A80 controller voiced concern regarding airspace realignment; i.e. A80 working airspace formally own...

Narrative:

A80 (atlanta TRACON) was given airspace around ahn (athens) from ZTL (atlanta center). The primary reason that we have been told that the airspace was transferred to A80 is because ZTL needed the scope for another sector. It has been a couple years and they still are not using that space. My primary concern with this transfer of responsibility lies in the fact that we now have terminal controllers working airspace with no weather depiction; center radar and center rules. The airspace is worked by A80 between the hours of 0600-2300L. There is seldom any traffic between 0600-0000L. Due to the extreme staffing shortage at A80 it would be safer to limit the hours which A80 has control of the airspace. Due primarily to the facts that ZTL is still watching the same airspace; working the traffic above this airspace. The FAA has hired several controllers with very limited and mostly no practical experience to work at one of the busiest facilities in the country. At the same time; most of the senior controllers are retiring as soon as they are eligible. There still is no weather depiction on the radar scope; making it impossible for the controllers to assist the pilots; which consist mostly of GA pilots with limited weather radar resources. It is very frustrating and difficult to work a position and not have the tools available to assist the pilots around the weather.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A80 Controller voiced concern regarding airspace realignment; i.e. A80 working airspace formally owned by ZTL; listed lack of radar weather information as troublesome.

Narrative: A80 (Atlanta TRACON) was given airspace around AHN (Athens) from ZTL (Atlanta Center). The primary reason that we have been told that the airspace was transferred to A80 is because ZTL needed the scope for another sector. It has been a couple years and they still are not using that space. My primary concern with this transfer of responsibility lies in the fact that we now have Terminal Controllers working airspace with no weather depiction; Center radar and Center rules. The airspace is worked by A80 between the hours of 0600-2300L. There is seldom any traffic between 0600-0000L. Due to the extreme staffing shortage at A80 it would be safer to limit the hours which A80 has control of the airspace. Due primarily to the facts that ZTL is still watching the same airspace; working the traffic above this airspace. The FAA has hired several Controllers with very limited and mostly no practical experience to work at one of the busiest facilities in the country. At the same time; most of the senior Controllers are retiring as soon as they are eligible. There still is no weather depiction on the radar scope; making it impossible for the Controllers to assist the pilots; which consist mostly of GA pilots with limited weather radar resources. It is very frustrating and difficult to work a position and not have the tools available to assist the pilots around the weather.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	827835
Time
Date	200903
Place
Locale Reference	A80.TRACON
State Reference	GA
Person 1
Function	Approach
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Military 5 Air Traffic Control Non Radar 0.5 Air Traffic Control Radar 14 Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 3
Events
Anomaly	Other Airspace Procedures

A80 controller voiced concern regarding airspace realignment; i.e. A80 working airspace formally owned by ZTL; listed lack of radar weather information as troublesome.