Narrative:

FAA order 7210.3U 2-2-11 states that the air traffic manager shall ensure that facility air traffic personnel are verbally briefed on any changes to the 7110.65; 7210.3; facility operation and administration and any other appropriate directives that have operational/procedural significance. This has not been done repeatedly in the last 18 months. 2 weeks ago this was brought to the attention of manager X. I have several pieces of evidence where these briefings were placed in a read binder and the controllers were told to brief themselves. This is contrary to the FAA's own orders and does not allow for questioning of an incomplete or confusing briefing. We have had plenty of both lately. The manager's response was 'I am satisfied that all briefings have been conducted properly.' these operational type briefings have been done face-to-face ever since I have been in bhm until the present manager arrived. The FAA wrote the procedures for briefing operational items a particular way for a reason; and this manager is intentionally operating outside of FAA procedures. Although by no means is this a complete list (far from it) some of the recent briefings that should have been done face-to-face and instead were done in a read binder are: 7110.65 briefings; 7210.3 briefings; several runway closure briefings; several new equipment briefings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BHM CTLR RPTS THAT FACE TO FACE BRIEFING REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT BEING COMPLETED.

Narrative: FAA ORDER 7210.3U 2-2-11 STATES THAT THE AIR TFC MGR SHALL ENSURE THAT FACILITY AIR TFC PERSONNEL ARE VERBALLY BRIEFED ON ANY CHANGES TO THE 7110.65; 7210.3; FACILITY OP AND ADMINISTRATION AND ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE DIRECTIVES THAT HAVE OPERATIONAL/PROCEDURAL SIGNIFICANCE. THIS HAS NOT BEEN DONE REPEATEDLY IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS. 2 WKS AGO THIS WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF MGR X. I HAVE SEVERAL PIECES OF EVIDENCE WHERE THESE BRIEFINGS WERE PLACED IN A READ BINDER AND THE CTLRS WERE TOLD TO BRIEF THEMSELVES. THIS IS CONTRARY TO THE FAA'S OWN ORDERS AND DOES NOT ALLOW FOR QUESTIONING OF AN INCOMPLETE OR CONFUSING BRIEFING. WE HAVE HAD PLENTY OF BOTH LATELY. THE MGR'S RESPONSE WAS 'I AM SATISFIED THAT ALL BRIEFINGS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED PROPERLY.' THESE OPERATIONAL TYPE BRIEFINGS HAVE BEEN DONE FACE-TO-FACE EVER SINCE I HAVE BEEN IN BHM UNTIL THE PRESENT MGR ARRIVED. THE FAA WROTE THE PROCS FOR BRIEFING OPERATIONAL ITEMS A PARTICULAR WAY FOR A REASON; AND THIS MGR IS INTENTIONALLY OPERATING OUTSIDE OF FAA PROCS. ALTHOUGH BY NO MEANS IS THIS A COMPLETE LIST (FAR FROM IT) SOME OF THE RECENT BRIEFINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE FACE-TO-FACE AND INSTEAD WERE DONE IN A READ BINDER ARE: 7110.65 BRIEFINGS; 7210.3 BRIEFINGS; SEVERAL RWY CLOSURE BRIEFINGS; SEVERAL NEW EQUIP BRIEFINGS.

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.