Tower controller concerned with tower shade operation failure and FAA maintenance inability to get t...

Attributes
ACN	424643
Time
Date	199901
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : csg
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Experience	controller radar : 10 flight time total : 50
ASRS Report	424643
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

The FAA recently had a contractor install 12 tinted window shades in the ATCT cabin attendant. The contractor is supposed to provide maintenance, but is located 80-90 mi away in atlanta. Several issues have been idented, including cords that fray and have to be replaced too frequently, and blinds that are too tight to pull down. A few weeks ago, one blind decided it didn't want to come down anymore. After a few weeks, someone pulled it down anyway. Now we have a window with the tinted shade down all the time -- even at night. Having this shade down unnecessarily makes it hard to see traffic -- especially at night. It has been like this for about 4 days. Apparently the FAA has had no luck getting the contractor to respond to make repairs. Our maintenance branch has decided that they shouldn't touch the blinds. In the meantime, we have a shaded window, regardless of WX or darkness.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR CTLR CONCERNED WITH TWR SHADE OP FAILURE AND FAA MAINT INABILITY TO GET THE REPAIR WORK COMPLETED.

Narrative: THE FAA RECENTLY HAD A CONTRACTOR INSTALL 12 TINTED WINDOW SHADES IN THE ATCT CAB. THE CONTRACTOR IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE MAINT, BUT IS LOCATED 80-90 MI AWAY IN ATLANTA. SEVERAL ISSUES HAVE BEEN IDENTED, INCLUDING CORDS THAT FRAY AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED TOO FREQUENTLY, AND BLINDS THAT ARE TOO TIGHT TO PULL DOWN. A FEW WKS AGO, ONE BLIND DECIDED IT DIDN'T WANT TO COME DOWN ANYMORE. AFTER A FEW WKS, SOMEONE PULLED IT DOWN ANYWAY. NOW WE HAVE A WINDOW WITH THE TINTED SHADE DOWN ALL THE TIME -- EVEN AT NIGHT. HAVING THIS SHADE DOWN UNNECESSARILY MAKES IT HARD TO SEE TFC -- ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. IT HAS BEEN LIKE THIS FOR ABOUT 4 DAYS. APPARENTLY THE FAA HAS HAD NO LUCK GETTING THE CONTRACTOR TO RESPOND TO MAKE REPAIRS. OUR MAINT BRANCH HAS DECIDED THAT THEY SHOULDN'T TOUCH THE BLINDS. IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE A SHADED WINDOW, REGARDLESS OF WX OR DARKNESS.

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.

Tower controller concerned with tower shade operation failure and FAA maintenance inability to get the repair work completed.