Narrative:

Recurring situation. WX in airspace, aircraft deviation, low (minimum) staffing due to midshift and FAA management allows airways facilities personnel to take backup radar system (darc) off- line for maintenance. I believe the maintenance could have been delayed in this instance. To give the amic credit, he did refuse to let them take us down to darc only (the original request). However, I fail to see what justification they have in taking our backup system down during known adverse WX conditions when dfw airport is sending out its late evening departure push. This was not an isolated incident. As usual, when the amic strolled by announcing the pending darc shutdown, I mentioned the WX and deviations but to no avail.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DARC BACKUP SYS WAS RELEASED TO MAINT ON MIDSHIFT.

Narrative: RECURRING SIT. WX IN AIRSPACE, ACFT DEV, LOW (MINIMUM) STAFFING DUE TO MIDSHIFT AND FAA MGMNT ALLOWS AIRWAYS FACILITIES PERSONNEL TO TAKE BACKUP RADAR SYS (DARC) OFF- LINE FOR MAINT. I BELIEVE THE MAINT COULD HAVE BEEN DELAYED IN THIS INSTANCE. TO GIVE THE AMIC CREDIT, HE DID REFUSE TO LET THEM TAKE US DOWN TO DARC ONLY (THE ORIGINAL REQUEST). HOWEVER, I FAIL TO SEE WHAT JUSTIFICATION THEY HAVE IN TAKING OUR BACKUP SYS DOWN DURING KNOWN ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS WHEN DFW ARPT IS SENDING OUT ITS LATE EVENING DEP PUSH. THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. AS USUAL, WHEN THE AMIC STROLLED BY ANNOUNCING THE PENDING DARC SHUTDOWN, I MENTIONED THE WX AND DEVS BUT TO NO AVAIL.

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