Narrative:

Radar approach was split on an east/west operation and traffic was extremely heavy and complex; both east radar and west radar controllers were working without the benefit of an associate controller (normally another fully certified radar controller who performs pointouts and coordination with other adjoining airports or facilities). The facility manager who is not certified on any control position at hsv; took it upon himself (he has done this on several occasions) to start approving non radar handoffs at 5000 ft into my airspace; accepting pointouts of traffic from adjoining facilities; and issuing IFR releases from satellite airports within my airspace. FAA regulations strictly prohibit the performance of air traffic duties by individuals who are not legally certified on the position being worked. This manager's intentions while well meaning; were very illegal and put me into a compromising situation; because I was legally responsible for the radar position being worked; and I would have been liable if an operational error or deviation had occurred from his illegal actions. Due to the limited staffing at hsv (we lack enough fully certified controllers) we were unable to open the radar associate position or the final radar position; in addition myself and the controller who was working the west approach airspace exceeded 2 hours on position while working extremely busy and complex traffic. To quote the other controller who has been a controller at hsv for over 15 yrs that was working the west approach during this time period; 'I have never seen east radar that busy; ever; and I was shocked that the manager was performing coordination with other facilities!' management's unwillingness to utilize overtime to adequately staff hsv is often forcing controllers to work heavy and often complex traffic for extended periods of time without adequate breaks to relax and recharge. In addition; the staffing problem prevents developmental controllers (trainees) from being able to receive training to help alleviate our staffing problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HSV CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING STAFFING NUMBERS AND NON CERTIFIED MGMNT PERSONNEL MAKING CTL DECISIONS.

Narrative: RADAR APCH WAS SPLIT ON AN E/W OP AND TFC WAS EXTREMELY HVY AND COMPLEX; BOTH E RADAR AND W RADAR CTLRS WERE WORKING WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF AN ASSOCIATE CTLR (NORMALLY ANOTHER FULLY CERTIFIED RADAR CTLR WHO PERFORMS POINTOUTS AND COORD WITH OTHER ADJOINING ARPTS OR FACILITIES). THE FACILITY MGR WHO IS NOT CERTIFIED ON ANY CTL POS AT HSV; TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF (HE HAS DONE THIS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS) TO START APPROVING NON RADAR HDOFS AT 5000 FT INTO MY AIRSPACE; ACCEPTING POINTOUTS OF TFC FROM ADJOINING FACILITIES; AND ISSUING IFR RELEASES FROM SATELLITE ARPTS WITHIN MY AIRSPACE. FAA REGS STRICTLY PROHIBIT THE PERFORMANCE OF AIR TFC DUTIES BY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT LEGALLY CERTIFIED ON THE POS BEING WORKED. THIS MGR'S INTENTIONS WHILE WELL MEANING; WERE VERY ILLEGAL AND PUT ME INTO A COMPROMISING SITUATION; BECAUSE I WAS LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RADAR POS BEING WORKED; AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN LIABLE IF AN OPERROR OR DEV HAD OCCURRED FROM HIS ILLEGAL ACTIONS. DUE TO THE LIMITED STAFFING AT HSV (WE LACK ENOUGH FULLY CERTIFIED CTLRS) WE WERE UNABLE TO OPEN THE RADAR ASSOCIATE POS OR THE FINAL RADAR POS; IN ADDITION MYSELF AND THE CTLR WHO WAS WORKING THE W APCH AIRSPACE EXCEEDED 2 HRS ON POS WHILE WORKING EXTREMELY BUSY AND COMPLEX TFC. TO QUOTE THE OTHER CTLR WHO HAS BEEN A CTLR AT HSV FOR OVER 15 YRS THAT WAS WORKING THE W APCH DURING THIS TIME PERIOD; 'I HAVE NEVER SEEN E RADAR THAT BUSY; EVER; AND I WAS SHOCKED THAT THE MGR WAS PERFORMING COORD WITH OTHER FACILITIES!' MGMNT'S UNWILLINGNESS TO UTILIZE OVERTIME TO ADEQUATELY STAFF HSV IS OFTEN FORCING CTLRS TO WORK HVY AND OFTEN COMPLEX TFC FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME WITHOUT ADEQUATE BREAKS TO RELAX AND RECHARGE. IN ADDITION; THE STAFFING PROB PREVENTS DEVELOPMENTAL CTLRS (TRAINEES) FROM BEING ABLE TO RECEIVE TRAINING TO HELP ALLEVIATE OUR STAFFING PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.