Narrative:

I was informed by a fellow controller that the RNAV 5 approach into ucp; one of our satellites was changing substantially on the chart date. Upon review; the approach course heading was changing; fix names were changing; and 1 fix's position was moving .1 mi. No one at the facility was informed; nor had maps indicating the new approach course and fixes been ordered. The new IAF is now in a neighboring facility's airspace (pit). They were not informed of the change either. Also; an airway was re-added (V576) between yng and cxr for the same charting date. Controllers had not been briefed on these changes. When local management attempted to find out why the facility had not been informed of the coming changes; the response from okc was that 'controllers are required to review approach plates prior to clearing aircraft for an approach' and there was no requirement to let us know any of it in advance. Unfortunately; it leaves controllers in a position of attempting to clear aircraft for approachs that are not depicted on their maps and not getting briefed on the changes until after the fact. I believe that the agency's cutting back on personnel and resources contributes to the fact that field facilities aren't getting timely information. There is a breakdown in communications nationwide that is adversely affecting all levels of service. Until the last few yrs; I had never 'not' been informed of changes in my airspace until after they had already occurred as is occurring frequently now.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: YNG CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE LACK OF PRIOR PROC/CHARTING INFO/BRIEFINGS ON NEW RNAV PROC INTO UCP.

Narrative: I WAS INFORMED BY A FELLOW CTLR THAT THE RNAV 5 APCH INTO UCP; ONE OF OUR SATELLITES WAS CHANGING SUBSTANTIALLY ON THE CHART DATE. UPON REVIEW; THE APCH COURSE HDG WAS CHANGING; FIX NAMES WERE CHANGING; AND 1 FIX'S POS WAS MOVING .1 MI. NO ONE AT THE FACILITY WAS INFORMED; NOR HAD MAPS INDICATING THE NEW APCH COURSE AND FIXES BEEN ORDERED. THE NEW IAF IS NOW IN A NEIGHBORING FACILITY'S AIRSPACE (PIT). THEY WERE NOT INFORMED OF THE CHANGE EITHER. ALSO; AN AIRWAY WAS RE-ADDED (V576) BTWN YNG AND CXR FOR THE SAME CHARTING DATE. CTLRS HAD NOT BEEN BRIEFED ON THESE CHANGES. WHEN LCL MGMNT ATTEMPTED TO FIND OUT WHY THE FACILITY HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE COMING CHANGES; THE RESPONSE FROM OKC WAS THAT 'CTLRS ARE REQUIRED TO REVIEW APCH PLATES PRIOR TO CLRING ACFT FOR AN APCH' AND THERE WAS NO REQUIREMENT TO LET US KNOW ANY OF IT IN ADVANCE. UNFORTUNATELY; IT LEAVES CTLRS IN A POS OF ATTEMPTING TO CLR ACFT FOR APCHS THAT ARE NOT DEPICTED ON THEIR MAPS AND NOT GETTING BRIEFED ON THE CHANGES UNTIL AFTER THE FACT. I BELIEVE THAT THE AGENCY'S CUTTING BACK ON PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES CONTRIBUTES TO THE FACT THAT FIELD FACILITIES AREN'T GETTING TIMELY INFO. THERE IS A BREAKDOWN IN COMS NATIONWIDE THAT IS ADVERSELY AFFECTING ALL LEVELS OF SVC. UNTIL THE LAST FEW YRS; I HAD NEVER 'NOT' BEEN INFORMED OF CHANGES IN MY AIRSPACE UNTIL AFTER THEY HAD ALREADY OCCURRED AS IS OCCURRING FREQUENTLY NOW.

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.