Fll controller states that daily, late evening through early morning, exterior control tower window ...

Attributes
ACN	593002
Time
Date	200309
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Dawn
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Experience	controller limited radar : 12 controller time certified in position1 : 0.5
ASRS Report	593002
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Experience	controller limited radar : 23 flight time total : 300
ASRS Report	593004
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance FAA ATC Facility
Primary Problem	ATC Facility
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Due to constant early morning and late evening/midshift condensation on the windows, visibility from the tower is near zero-even when it is VFR. Even the taxiways and gates closest to the tower are not visible. This occurs on a daily basis. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: because of the window vapor condensation, the reporter alleges that outward visibility is so reduced that taxi, landing and takeoff clrncs frequently include the phrase, '...not visible from tower...' the reporter alleges that taxiway echo, directly below the tower is also not visible. The reporter alleges that only one of the interior window heating/air conditioning vents at the base of one window is minimally effective clearing only a 'couple square ft' immediately above the vent. The controller believes that a similar condition was resolved at memphis control tower by installing pressure washer sprays over each window that were operated on an 'as needed basis' by the controllers. The reporter stated that this problem 'has been a problem here forever.' supplemental information from acn 593004: condensation on windows so thick unable to see airplanes arriving, taking off, taxiing etc.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLL CTLR STATES THAT DAILY, LATE EVENING THROUGH EARLY MORNING, EXTERIOR CTL TWR WINDOW VAPOR CONDENSATION REDUCES ARPT VISIBILITY DOWN TO 'NEAR ZERO.'

Narrative: DUE TO CONSTANT EARLY MORNING AND LATE EVENING/MIDSHIFT CONDENSATION ON THE WINDOWS, VIS FROM THE TWR IS NEAR ZERO-EVEN WHEN IT IS VFR. EVEN THE TAXIWAYS AND GATES CLOSEST TO THE TWR ARE NOT VISIBLE. THIS OCCURS ON A DAILY BASIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: BECAUSE OF THE WINDOW VAPOR CONDENSATION, THE RPTR ALLEGES THAT OUTWARD VISIBILITY IS SO REDUCED THAT TAXI, LNDG AND TKOF CLRNCS FREQUENTLY INCLUDE THE PHRASE, '...NOT VISIBLE FROM TWR...' THE RPTR ALLEGES THAT TXWY ECHO, DIRECTLY BELOW THE TWR IS ALSO NOT VISIBLE. THE RPTR ALLEGES THAT ONLY ONE OF THE INTERIOR WINDOW HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING VENTS AT THE BASE OF ONE WINDOW IS MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE CLEARING ONLY A 'COUPLE SQUARE FT' IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THE VENT. THE CTLR BELIEVES THAT A SIMILAR CONDITION WAS RESOLVED AT MEMPHIS CTL TWR BY INSTALLING PRESSURE WASHER SPRAYS OVER EACH WINDOW THAT WERE OPERATED ON AN 'AS NEEDED BASIS' BY THE CTLRS. THE RPTR STATED THAT THIS PROB 'HAS BEEN A PROB HERE FOREVER.' SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 593004: CONDENSATION ON WINDOWS SO THICK UNABLE TO SEE AIRPLANES ARRIVING, TAKING OFF, TAXIING ETC.

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.

Fll controller states that daily, late evening through early morning, exterior control tower window vapor condensation reduces airport visibility down to 'near zero.'