Controller claims management refuses to increase staffing or use overtime on short staffing shifts t...

Attributes
ACN	440221
Time
Date	199906
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abi.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : combined radar
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	controller radar : 9 controller time certified in position1 : 2 flight time total : 1500
ASRS Report	440221
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : supervisor controller : flight data oversight : coordinator
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Facility

Narrative:

No supervisor, controller was working multiple position, controller in charge, flight data and coordinator. I was working radar west combined with radar low west and radar east. The traffic was extremely busy for not being decombined. Strip management was non existent due to the numbers of aircraft. I don't know if any separation errors existed, I don't believe there were. This situation happens on a weekly basis. Management seems to refuse to get the staffing needed or to call in overtime. During the aforementioned situation I was on position for about 2 hours and 4 mins. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the primary problem at abi is military pop-up traffic. Those flts are coming out of MOA's or are local flts requesting ILS or surveillance approachs. He said most of the time the traffic manageable but occasionally very hectic due to the lack of controllers on duty.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR CLAIMS MGMNT REFUSES TO INCREASE STAFFING OR USE OVERTIME ON SHORT STAFFING SHIFTS THAT OCCURS ON A WEEKLY BASIS.

Narrative: NO SUPVR, CTLR WAS WORKING MULTIPLE POS, CIC, FLT DATA AND COORDINATOR. I WAS WORKING RADAR W COMBINED WITH RADAR LOW W AND RADAR E. THE TFC WAS EXTREMELY BUSY FOR NOT BEING DECOMBINED. STRIP MGMNT WAS NON EXISTENT DUE TO THE NUMBERS OF ACFT. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY SEPARATION ERRORS EXISTED, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WERE. THIS SIT HAPPENS ON A WEEKLY BASIS. MGMNT SEEMS TO REFUSE TO GET THE STAFFING NEEDED OR TO CALL IN OVERTIME. DURING THE AFOREMENTIONED SIT I WAS ON POS FOR ABOUT 2 HRS AND 4 MINS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE PRIMARY PROB AT ABI IS MIL POP-UP TFC. THOSE FLTS ARE COMING OUT OF MOA'S OR ARE LCL FLTS REQUESTING ILS OR SURVEILLANCE APCHS. HE SAID MOST OF THE TIME THE TFC MANAGEABLE BUT OCCASIONALLY VERY HECTIC DUE TO THE LACK OF CTLRS ON DUTY.

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.

Controller claims management refuses to increase staffing or use overtime on short staffing shifts that occurs on a weekly basis.