Narrative:

Air carrier X on ground at pqi awaiting clearance. Despite numerous attempts to contact FSS finally telephones the ZOB watch desk. The supervisor on duty walks down to the area operation (leaving the watch desk unattended) to ask us for clearance. He then forwards the commercial line from the watch desk to the sector controller who delivers the clearance to the pilot. Pilot says he has been unable to get FSS to answer the phone. This is a daily routine occurrence in this area! Every single day pilots either depart VFR (and scud run!) to get a clearance; or; they are using the commercial line to telephone the area supervisor's desk to complain and get their clearance. Also; the clearance delivery frequency at pqi (121.6) OTS. No techs available so we end up with frequency problems for days and weeks. FSS service is horrendous -- pilots routinely have complaints about not being able to contact them -- or when they do the personnel have no area knowledge (they often call the wrong sector with cancellations). I would estimate that 80% of the time the pilots complain about not being able to raise FSS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZBW CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING THE LACK OF FSS RESPONSES TO PLT'S REQUESTS RESULTING IN ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD FOR CTLRS/SUPVRS.

Narrative: ACR X ON GND AT PQI AWAITING CLRNC. DESPITE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT FSS FINALLY TELEPHONES THE ZOB WATCH DESK. THE SUPVR ON DUTY WALKS DOWN TO THE AREA OP (LEAVING THE WATCH DESK UNATTENDED) TO ASK US FOR CLRNC. HE THEN FORWARDS THE COMMERCIAL LINE FROM THE WATCH DESK TO THE SECTOR CTLR WHO DELIVERS THE CLRNC TO THE PLT. PLT SAYS HE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO GET FSS TO ANSWER THE PHONE. THIS IS A DAILY ROUTINE OCCURRENCE IN THIS AREA! EVERY SINGLE DAY PLTS EITHER DEPART VFR (AND SCUD RUN!) TO GET A CLRNC; OR; THEY ARE USING THE COMMERCIAL LINE TO TELEPHONE THE AREA SUPVR'S DESK TO COMPLAIN AND GET THEIR CLRNC. ALSO; THE CLRNC DELIVERY FREQ AT PQI (121.6) OTS. NO TECHS AVAILABLE SO WE END UP WITH FREQ PROBS FOR DAYS AND WKS. FSS SVC IS HORRENDOUS -- PLTS ROUTINELY HAVE COMPLAINTS ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTACT THEM -- OR WHEN THEY DO THE PERSONNEL HAVE NO AREA KNOWLEDGE (THEY OFTEN CALL THE WRONG SECTOR WITH CANCELLATIONS). I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT 80% OF THE TIME THE PLTS COMPLAIN ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO RAISE FSS.

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.