Narrative:

I wanted to pass on a list of recent FSS issues. As a controller we are being asked to pick up quite a bit of workload from the FSS transition. NOTAMS: we have trouble getting them; our opening procedure used to be to phone FSS; get update. Now tower management has NOTAMS faxed in the night hours; for our opening at XB30 am local time. They are sent as early as XA00 am. This has been considered ok? If there are changes between this facsimile and our tower opening we do not get the update. Not acceptable! This facsimile procedure came about due to the amount of time it now takes for a verbal briefing at tower opening (up to 10 mins). Recently there was an special event at mtw; I could not get the NOTAM on my first phone call because they 'could not find it.' I was told there was no NOTAM. This was a NOTAM to close airspace for high performance military activity. After 2 more calls FSS located the NOTAM. Overall FSS seems pressured to answer the phone for their performance metrics; then they put us on hold. (Excuses; software issues; to get a pen; we've heard 'em all.) things like PIREPS; wind aloft questions; etc; take a significant amount of time. This time issue discourages ATC from providing extra service or information. Last time I phoned FSS for a wind aloft pilot request it took 5 mins. Usually we will not have the time to provide these answers. Flight plans not being entered into NAS; or numerous errors. Pilot being issued clearance 'as filed.' ATC information other than what pilot states they filed. Proposed departure time not correct. Missing aircraft type; equipment suffix; etc. Yesterday I observed 4 flight plans with type as ZZZZ. All of these errors must be corrected by ATC. The frequency of these problems has become unacceptable. We get numerous requests to enter flight plans; pilots state we could 'not get through to FSS.' FSS appears to have training/equipment issues. Most notable to ATC is the broadcasting of routine information or clrncs on 121.5. There is so much 'chatter' on 121.5 from FSS some ATC's de-select it from monitoring. We phone them; sometimes this works.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GRB CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING FSS FAILURES TO PERFORM ASSIGNED DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES; CITING INCREASED WORKLOADS FOR ATC.

Narrative: I WANTED TO PASS ON A LIST OF RECENT FSS ISSUES. AS A CTLR WE ARE BEING ASKED TO PICK UP QUITE A BIT OF WORKLOAD FROM THE FSS TRANSITION. NOTAMS: WE HAVE TROUBLE GETTING THEM; OUR OPENING PROC USED TO BE TO PHONE FSS; GET UPDATE. NOW TWR MGMNT HAS NOTAMS FAXED IN THE NIGHT HRS; FOR OUR OPENING AT XB30 AM LCL TIME. THEY ARE SENT AS EARLY AS XA00 AM. THIS HAS BEEN CONSIDERED OK? IF THERE ARE CHANGES BTWN THIS FAX AND OUR TWR OPENING WE DO NOT GET THE UPDATE. NOT ACCEPTABLE! THIS FAX PROC CAME ABOUT DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT NOW TAKES FOR A VERBAL BRIEFING AT TWR OPENING (UP TO 10 MINS). RECENTLY THERE WAS AN SPECIAL EVENT AT MTW; I COULD NOT GET THE NOTAM ON MY FIRST PHONE CALL BECAUSE THEY 'COULD NOT FIND IT.' I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO NOTAM. THIS WAS A NOTAM TO CLOSE AIRSPACE FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE MIL ACTIVITY. AFTER 2 MORE CALLS FSS LOCATED THE NOTAM. OVERALL FSS SEEMS PRESSURED TO ANSWER THE PHONE FOR THEIR PERFORMANCE METRICS; THEN THEY PUT US ON HOLD. (EXCUSES; SOFTWARE ISSUES; TO GET A PEN; WE'VE HEARD 'EM ALL.) THINGS LIKE PIREPS; WIND ALOFT QUESTIONS; ETC; TAKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME. THIS TIME ISSUE DISCOURAGES ATC FROM PROVIDING EXTRA SVC OR INFO. LAST TIME I PHONED FSS FOR A WIND ALOFT PLT REQUEST IT TOOK 5 MINS. USUALLY WE WILL NOT HAVE THE TIME TO PROVIDE THESE ANSWERS. FLT PLANS NOT BEING ENTERED INTO NAS; OR NUMEROUS ERRORS. PLT BEING ISSUED CLRNC 'AS FILED.' ATC INFO OTHER THAN WHAT PLT STATES THEY FILED. PROPOSED DEP TIME NOT CORRECT. MISSING ACFT TYPE; EQUIP SUFFIX; ETC. YESTERDAY I OBSERVED 4 FLT PLANS WITH TYPE AS ZZZZ. ALL OF THESE ERRORS MUST BE CORRECTED BY ATC. THE FREQUENCY OF THESE PROBS HAS BECOME UNACCEPTABLE. WE GET NUMEROUS REQUESTS TO ENTER FLT PLANS; PLTS STATE WE COULD 'NOT GET THROUGH TO FSS.' FSS APPEARS TO HAVE TRAINING/EQUIP ISSUES. MOST NOTABLE TO ATC IS THE BROADCASTING OF ROUTINE INFO OR CLRNCS ON 121.5. THERE IS SO MUCH 'CHATTER' ON 121.5 FROM FSS SOME ATC'S DE-SELECT IT FROM MONITORING. WE PHONE THEM; SOMETIMES THIS WORKS.

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.