Narrative:

A dangerous illusion of air traffic safety exists at isla grande airport. The situation began shortly after the controllers' strike in 1981 when tower staffing was reduced to only 2 controllers. Hours of operation for the tower were also reduced from 14 to 8 hours, but public demand soon made it necessary to stay open 9 hours. The payment of overtime is avoided by having one controller work the first hour alone, and having one controller work the last hour alone. Traffic dropped dramatically at isla grande airport after the strike, however, it has been slowly increasing. Actual traffic count logs for 3/88 reveal that during the first hour the tower was open there was a high of 55 operations, and a high of 38 operations during the last hour. There was only 1 controller on duty during each of these periods. See attached traffic count excerpt. In addition, controllers have recently been given the responsibility for providing arsa service which requires increased coordination with sju tower and sju cerap. Perhaps not surprisingly, controllers often discourage pilots from participating in this program which is supposed to enhance air safety. Controllers have been concerned about this matter before. It was brought before the facility advisory board in 3/87 and referred to the regl office in atl in 4/87. No further action has occurred until now. I strongly recommend that at least 2 controllers be on duty at all times when isla grande tower is open.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR COMPLAINT REFERENCE FAC MANNING. ONE MAN OPERATION DURING FIRST AND LAST HOURS OF ATCT OPERATION.

Narrative: A DANGEROUS ILLUSION OF AIR TFC SAFETY EXISTS AT ISLA GRANDE ARPT. THE SITUATION BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER THE CTLRS' STRIKE IN 1981 WHEN TWR STAFFING WAS REDUCED TO ONLY 2 CTLRS. HOURS OF OPERATION FOR THE TWR WERE ALSO REDUCED FROM 14 TO 8 HRS, BUT PUBLIC DEMAND SOON MADE IT NECESSARY TO STAY OPEN 9 HRS. THE PAYMENT OF OVERTIME IS AVOIDED BY HAVING ONE CTLR WORK THE FIRST HR ALONE, AND HAVING ONE CTLR WORK THE LAST HR ALONE. TFC DROPPED DRAMATICALLY AT ISLA GRANDE ARPT AFTER THE STRIKE, HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN SLOWLY INCREASING. ACTUAL TFC COUNT LOGS FOR 3/88 REVEAL THAT DURING THE FIRST HR THE TWR WAS OPEN THERE WAS A HIGH OF 55 OPS, AND A HIGH OF 38 OPS DURING THE LAST HR. THERE WAS ONLY 1 CTLR ON DUTY DURING EACH OF THESE PERIODS. SEE ATTACHED TFC COUNT EXCERPT. IN ADDITION, CTLRS HAVE RECENTLY BEEN GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING ARSA SVC WHICH REQUIRES INCREASED COORD WITH SJU TWR AND SJU CERAP. PERHAPS NOT SURPRISINGLY, CTLRS OFTEN DISCOURAGE PLTS FROM PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO ENHANCE AIR SAFETY. CTLRS HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THIS MATTER BEFORE. IT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE FAC ADVISORY BOARD IN 3/87 AND REFERRED TO THE REGL OFFICE IN ATL IN 4/87. NO FURTHER ACTION HAS OCCURRED UNTIL NOW. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT AT LEAST 2 CTLRS BE ON DUTY AT ALL TIMES WHEN ISLA GRANDE TWR IS OPEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.