Narrative:

I was working local 1 (north side position). I was giving entry instructions and traffic to 2 aircraft on initial call ups. During this time mco approach was calling on the shout line about a conflict alert that we/they were receiving. The conflict alert was for 2 other aircraft on parallel bases for parallel runways. The tower has already cleared the aircraft with the ca/ca alert to land and told each other if it was necessary. The conflict alert alarms on a consistent basis for this scenario and mco is now calling these insignificant traffic calls constantly. It is becoming not only annoying; but difficult and taking away concentration on more significant and important areas. I did not answer the call immediately because giving instructions to the 2 other inbound aircraft was; in my opinion; much more significant since I was trying to get the faster one behind; in front of the slower aircraft. When I did not answer the shout line; they called on the ring line. When the ground controller finally answered (they were busy too); mco had already hung up and proceeded to call me again on the shout line. By this time; the conflict alert had ceased and the aircraft in question were already on the ground but mco seemed to be very concerned that I had gotten the initial insignificant conflict alert. This is very distracting and when a true traffic call exists; it may not be taken as serious because of all of the insignificant calls. I found while I was communicating with the other aircraft that my train of thought was disrupted and it took me several seconds to get back on track. In an imminent situation this could be life threatening. This needs to stop on insignificant calls. Judgement should be allowed to be a factor for when approach needs to advise towers of conflict alerts (ca/ca's). At towers like ours; the conflict alert sounds constantly because of our runway configuration and close proximity; and mco calling us on this consistent basis is detracting them and us from more important and primary duties that are potentially hazardous and need our full attention.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SFB CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING CONFLICT ALERT REQUIREMENTS THAT INCREASE WORKLOAD/DISTRACTIONS; SUGGESTING CTLRS BE ALLOWED TO USE MORE JUDGEMENT IN ISSUANCE OF ALERT NOTIFICATIONS.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING LOCAL 1 (NORTH SIDE POSITION). I WAS GIVING ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS AND TRAFFIC TO 2 AIRCRAFT ON INITIAL CALL UPS. DURING THIS TIME MCO APPROACH WAS CALLING ON THE SHOUT LINE ABOUT A CONFLICT ALERT THAT WE/THEY WERE RECEIVING. THE CONFLICT ALERT WAS FOR 2 OTHER ACFT ON PARALLEL BASES FOR PARALLEL RUNWAYS. THE TOWER HAS ALREADY CLEARED THE ACFT WITH THE CA/CA ALERT TO LAND AND TOLD EACH OTHER IF IT WAS NECESSARY. THE CONFLICT ALERT ALARMS ON A CONSISTENT BASIS FOR THIS SCENARIO AND MCO IS NOW CALLING THESE INSIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC CALLS CONSTANTLY. IT IS BECOMING NOT ONLY ANNOYING; BUT DIFFICULT AND TAKING AWAY CONCENTRATION ON MORE SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT AREAS. I DID NOT ANSWER THE CALL IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE GIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO THE 2 OTHER INBOUND ACFT WAS; IN MY OPINION; MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT SINCE I WAS TRYING TO GET THE FASTER ONE BEHIND; IN FRONT OF THE SLOWER ACFT. WHEN I DID NOT ANSWER THE SHOUT LINE; THEY CALLED ON THE RING LINE. WHEN THE GROUND CONTROLLER FINALLY ANSWERED (THEY WERE BUSY TOO); MCO HAD ALREADY HUNG UP AND PROCEEDED TO CALL ME AGAIN ON THE SHOUT LINE. BY THIS TIME; THE CONFLICT ALERT HAD CEASED AND THE ACFT IN QUESTION WERE ALREADY ON THE GROUND BUT MCO SEEMED TO BE VERY CONCERNED THAT I HAD GOTTEN THE INITIAL INSIGNIFICANT CONFLICT ALERT. THIS IS VERY DISTRACTING AND WHEN A TRUE TRAFFIC CALL EXISTS; IT MAY NOT BE TAKEN AS SERIOUS BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE INSIGNIFICANT CALLS. I FOUND WHILE I WAS COMMUNICATING WITH THE OTHER ACFT THAT MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT WAS DISRUPTED AND IT TOOK ME SEVERAL SECONDS TO GET BACK ON TRACK. IN AN IMMINENT SITUATION THIS COULD BE LIFE THREATENING. THIS NEEDS TO STOP ON INSIGNIFICANT CALLS. JUDGEMENT SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE A FACTOR FOR WHEN APPROACH NEEDS TO ADVISE TOWERS OF CONFLICT ALERTS (CA/CA'S). AT TOWERS LIKE OURS; THE CONFLICT ALERT SOUNDS CONSTANTLY BECAUSE OF OUR RUNWAY CONFIGURATION AND CLOSE PROXIMITY; AND MCO CALLING US ON THIS CONSISTENT BASIS IS DETRACTING THEM AND US FROM MORE IMPORTANT AND PRIMARY DUTIES THAT ARE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS AND NEED OUR FULL ATTENTION.

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.