Narrative:

Attached is a picture of one of the tower cabin attendant windows at sig. There is currently about 8' of water between the panes and vision out the rest of the window is obscured by condensation. The condition has existed for some time. In 1985 the controllers started recording the water level with a grease pencil. Fortunately, the window overlooks an airspace sector from which aircraft seldom approach. Even if it did, however, it is very probable the window would not be repaired 3 yrs after its deterioration. As far as I know, the air traffic manager has taken all required steps to correct the condition. It has been reported to arwys facility, cost estimates have been included in the budget request, attempts have been made to find a suitable contractor, a study has been conducted to see if the effort is worth it, and on and on. The window is only part of the problem. The whole tower is badly rusted in several areas and the cost of repair is steadily increasing. How can air traffic controllers be expected to provide adequate service to the flying public when the basic operating facility cannot be maintained in a timely manner? I strongly recommend the procedure for maintaining control towers in proper condition be streamlined. To me that would mean giving the local mgrs more authority to approve such repairs. Officials in washington usually follow his recommendation anyway. The only restriction I propose on the local manager beyond cost justification would be the maintenance of the original operating capability of the facility after repairs are complete. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the tower window has been repaired.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ONE OF THE TWR WINDOWS HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 8 INCHES OF WATER AND CONDENSATION BETWEEN THE PANES.

Narrative: ATTACHED IS A PICTURE OF ONE OF THE TWR CAB WINDOWS AT SIG. THERE IS CURRENTLY ABOUT 8' OF WATER BTWN THE PANES AND VISION OUT THE REST OF THE WINDOW IS OBSCURED BY CONDENSATION. THE CONDITION HAS EXISTED FOR SOME TIME. IN 1985 THE CTLRS STARTED RECORDING THE WATER LEVEL WITH A GREASE PENCIL. FORTUNATELY, THE WINDOW OVERLOOKS AN AIRSPACE SECTOR FROM WHICH ACFT SELDOM APCH. EVEN IF IT DID, HOWEVER, IT IS VERY PROBABLE THE WINDOW WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED 3 YRS AFTER ITS DETERIORATION. AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE AIR TFC MGR HAS TAKEN ALL REQUIRED STEPS TO CORRECT THE CONDITION. IT HAS BEEN RPTED TO ARWYS FAC, COST ESTIMATES HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET REQUEST, ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO FIND A SUITABLE CONTRACTOR, A STUDY HAS BEEN CONDUCTED TO SEE IF THE EFFORT IS WORTH IT, AND ON AND ON. THE WINDOW IS ONLY PART OF THE PROB. THE WHOLE TWR IS BADLY RUSTED IN SEVERAL AREAS AND THE COST OF REPAIR IS STEADILY INCREASING. HOW CAN AIR TFC CTLRS BE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SVC TO THE FLYING PUBLIC WHEN THE BASIC OPERATING FAC CANNOT BE MAINTAINED IN A TIMELY MANNER? I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE PROC FOR MAINTAINING CTL TWRS IN PROPER CONDITION BE STREAMLINED. TO ME THAT WOULD MEAN GIVING THE LCL MGRS MORE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE SUCH REPAIRS. OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON USUALLY FOLLOW HIS RECOMMENDATION ANYWAY. THE ONLY RESTRICTION I PROPOSE ON THE LCL MGR BEYOND COST JUSTIFICATION WOULD BE THE MAINT OF THE ORIGINAL OPERATING CAPABILITY OF THE FAC AFTER REPAIRS ARE COMPLETE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE TWR WINDOW HAS BEEN REPAIRED.

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.