Mci controller voiced concern regarding lack of staffing and supervisor decision to not initiate arr...

Narrative:

I was working arrival radar on this date with a 1 runway operation (1L). It appeared that there was several aircraft inbound; I asked the operations manager (who was in charge) to put 250 KTS at the close fixes. He said just let them run; I did not need it at the beginning; but it appeared he never put it in. Arrs were coming in at 430-370 KTS at the close fixes. I was reducing aircraft at times to 170 KTS 20-25 mi from airport. Several aircraft I was using 190 KTS on downwind; which is normally 210 KTS. I was using double downwinds on some aircraft from the close fixes to try and shorten the final. Staffing did not allow for a final radar position; which should have been open. At the very least; 250 KTS at the close fixes would have aided greatly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MCI CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING LACK OF STAFFING AND SUPVR DECISION TO NOT INITIATE ARR SPEED RESTRS; RESULTING IN HVY/COMPLEX WORKLOAD.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING ARR RADAR ON THIS DATE WITH A 1 RWY OP (1L). IT APPEARED THAT THERE WAS SEVERAL ACFT INBOUND; I ASKED THE OPS MGR (WHO WAS IN CHARGE) TO PUT 250 KTS AT THE CLOSE FIXES. HE SAID JUST LET THEM RUN; I DID NOT NEED IT AT THE BEGINNING; BUT IT APPEARED HE NEVER PUT IT IN. ARRS WERE COMING IN AT 430-370 KTS AT THE CLOSE FIXES. I WAS REDUCING ACFT AT TIMES TO 170 KTS 20-25 MI FROM ARPT. SEVERAL ACFT I WAS USING 190 KTS ON DOWNWIND; WHICH IS NORMALLY 210 KTS. I WAS USING DOUBLE DOWNWINDS ON SOME ACFT FROM THE CLOSE FIXES TO TRY AND SHORTEN THE FINAL. STAFFING DID NOT ALLOW FOR A FINAL RADAR POS; WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN OPEN. AT THE VERY LEAST; 250 KTS AT THE CLOSE FIXES WOULD HAVE AIDED GREATLY.

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.

Attributes
ACN	760931
Time
Date	200711
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mci.airport
State Reference	MO
Environment
Light	Night
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 22 controller time certified in position1 : 22
ASRS Report	760931
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA

Mci controller voiced concern regarding lack of staffing and supervisor decision to not initiate arrival speed restrs; resulting in heavy/complex workload.