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ARTCC radar controller concerned with facility resectorization staffing procedures. Took 5 mins for supervisor to obtain data controller assistant during perceived workload increase.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 397854 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199803 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zfw |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 13 |
| ASRS Report | 397854 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | other personnel other oversight : supervisor |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
I was working the bonham specialty mcalester high radar position combined with the radar associate position and asked for a radar associate due to workload. It took more than 5 mins to accomplish this. The contributing factors are: ZFW has added an extra area for a total of 7, not for traffic purposes but to allow the physical setup of position in the new control room wing (dssr). However, with only a fraction of the controllers certified on all sectors within an area of specialization and the same number of controllers now working 7 areas instead of 6, the number of 'bodies' has to be divided by 7 -- resulting in a shortage in staffing. In some cases, using 7-8 controllers to do the same work as 10-12 plus before, with fewer yet certified on all position. Management has stated 'we will make this work no matter what' and I believe they have put safety as a lower priority to make this '7TH area work,' regardless of anything else. To correct this, an outside source has to look at it and see that it is definitely a safety issue. Either add more staffing or go back to 6 areas.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR CONCERNED WITH FACILITY RESECTORIZATION STAFFING PROCS. TOOK 5 MINS FOR SUPVR TO OBTAIN DATA CTLR ASSISTANT DURING PERCEIVED WORKLOAD INCREASE.
Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE BONHAM SPECIALTY MCALESTER HIGH RADAR POS COMBINED WITH THE RADAR ASSOCIATE POS AND ASKED FOR A RADAR ASSOCIATE DUE TO WORKLOAD. IT TOOK MORE THAN 5 MINS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE: ZFW HAS ADDED AN EXTRA AREA FOR A TOTAL OF 7, NOT FOR TFC PURPOSES BUT TO ALLOW THE PHYSICAL SETUP OF POS IN THE NEW CTL ROOM WING (DSSR). HOWEVER, WITH ONLY A FRACTION OF THE CTLRS CERTIFIED ON ALL SECTORS WITHIN AN AREA OF SPECIALIZATION AND THE SAME NUMBER OF CTLRS NOW WORKING 7 AREAS INSTEAD OF 6, THE NUMBER OF 'BODIES' HAS TO BE DIVIDED BY 7 -- RESULTING IN A SHORTAGE IN STAFFING. IN SOME CASES, USING 7-8 CTLRS TO DO THE SAME WORK AS 10-12 PLUS BEFORE, WITH FEWER YET CERTIFIED ON ALL POS. MGMNT HAS STATED 'WE WILL MAKE THIS WORK NO MATTER WHAT' AND I BELIEVE THEY HAVE PUT SAFETY AS A LOWER PRIORITY TO MAKE THIS '7TH AREA WORK,' REGARDLESS OF ANYTHING ELSE. TO CORRECT THIS, AN OUTSIDE SOURCE HAS TO LOOK AT IT AND SEE THAT IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. EITHER ADD MORE STAFFING OR GO BACK TO 6 AREAS.
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.