Msn controller concerned with malfunctioning vacuum drop tubes for intrafac strip xfer.

Attributes
ACN	506271
Time
Date	200103
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msn.tracon
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 14
ASRS Report	506271
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Maintenance Human Performance ATC Facility
Primary Problem	ATC Facility
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

The drop tubes at work are antiquated and have undergone numerous 'quick fixes.' duct tape, cardboard, etc, have been used to fix some of the problems. Recently, the holders were shooting out across the room, more quick fixes were done. Now the holders only 'pop' out of the base, requiring the controllers to feel around on the floor in the darkness, looking for their strip holder. Is it going to take a 'deal' or 'deviation' because a controller's attention was diverted looking for a holder on the ground, before the drop tubes are professionally fixed?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MSN CTLR CONCERNED WITH MALFUNCTIONING VACUUM DROP TUBES FOR INTRAFAC STRIP XFER.

Narrative: THE DROP TUBES AT WORK ARE ANTIQUATED AND HAVE UNDERGONE NUMEROUS 'QUICK FIXES.' DUCT TAPE, CARDBOARD, ETC, HAVE BEEN USED TO FIX SOME OF THE PROBS. RECENTLY, THE HOLDERS WERE SHOOTING OUT ACROSS THE ROOM, MORE QUICK FIXES WERE DONE. NOW THE HOLDERS ONLY 'POP' OUT OF THE BASE, REQUIRING THE CTLRS TO FEEL AROUND ON THE FLOOR IN THE DARKNESS, LOOKING FOR THEIR STRIP HOLDER. IS IT GOING TO TAKE A 'DEAL' OR 'DEV' BECAUSE A CTLR'S ATTN WAS DIVERTED LOOKING FOR A HOLDER ON THE GND, BEFORE THE DROP TUBES ARE PROFESSIONALLY FIXED?

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.