Narrative:

I was working the local control 1 position during a runway 18L/right and runway 27 confign arrival push. Converging runway display aid was being used for the runway 18L and runway 27 arrs. I had just cleared aircraft Y (an MD10) to land on runway 18R when the local control 2 controller announced that a CRJ2 that was landing runway 27 was executing a missed approach. I checked for aircraft Y and saw that the aircraft was still on a 2 mi final. I issued the traffic and aircraft Y continued inbound and landed with no problem. I also saw aircraft Z on about a 1 1/2 mi final for runway 18L. Later; when aircraft X (the CRJ2 that executed the missed approach for runway 27) checked in on my frequency for landing clearance on runway 18R; I asked what the reason for the missed approach was. Aircraft X's crew could not recall being issued a landing clearance for runway 27 (they had). At the time of the incident; the WX forced our facility to run staggered ILS approachs to runway 18L/right and runway 27 with converging runway display aid. There were breaks in the ceiling; so occasionally aircraft could get each other in sight; and controllers in the tower could get aircraft in sight. This is why aircraft Y and aircraft Z were so close on final. If a proper stagger had been run; aircraft Y or the preceding landing aircraft on runway 18R (I don't recall the call sign) would have been in about the same place at about the same time as aircraft X; which brings up wake turbulence issues as well as midair collision issues. The runway 18L/right and runway 27 confign using converging runway display aid at mem is a dangerous operation considering the FAA rushed what little training they gave; and that training was inadequate. Add to that the newly hired and trained controllers at mem that have little or no experience; and the low time pilots that seem to be flying the majority of regional jets; and the environment becomes ripe for an incident or accident. Controllers and pilots need to be careful and pay attention.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM LCL CTLR DESCRIBED CONVERGING RWY DISPLAY AID MA EVENT ON RWY 27 WITH ARR TFC ALSO LNDG ON RWY 18L/R; ALLEGING CONVERGING RWY DISPLAY AID PROC IS UNSAFE WITH LITTLE PLT/CTLR TRAINING.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE LCL CTL 1 POS DURING A RWY 18L/R AND RWY 27 CONFIGN ARR PUSH. CONVERGING RWY DISPLAY AID WAS BEING USED FOR THE RWY 18L AND RWY 27 ARRS. I HAD JUST CLRED ACFT Y (AN MD10) TO LAND ON RWY 18R WHEN THE LCL CTL 2 CTLR ANNOUNCED THAT A CRJ2 THAT WAS LNDG RWY 27 WAS EXECUTING A MISSED APCH. I CHKED FOR ACFT Y AND SAW THAT THE ACFT WAS STILL ON A 2 MI FINAL. I ISSUED THE TFC AND ACFT Y CONTINUED INBOUND AND LANDED WITH NO PROB. I ALSO SAW ACFT Z ON ABOUT A 1 1/2 MI FINAL FOR RWY 18L. LATER; WHEN ACFT X (THE CRJ2 THAT EXECUTED THE MISSED APCH FOR RWY 27) CHKED IN ON MY FREQ FOR LNDG CLRNC ON RWY 18R; I ASKED WHAT THE REASON FOR THE MISSED APCH WAS. ACFT X'S CREW COULD NOT RECALL BEING ISSUED A LNDG CLRNC FOR RWY 27 (THEY HAD). AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT; THE WX FORCED OUR FACILITY TO RUN STAGGERED ILS APCHS TO RWY 18L/R AND RWY 27 WITH CONVERGING RWY DISPLAY AID. THERE WERE BREAKS IN THE CEILING; SO OCCASIONALLY ACFT COULD GET EACH OTHER IN SIGHT; AND CTLRS IN THE TWR COULD GET ACFT IN SIGHT. THIS IS WHY ACFT Y AND ACFT Z WERE SO CLOSE ON FINAL. IF A PROPER STAGGER HAD BEEN RUN; ACFT Y OR THE PRECEDING LNDG ACFT ON RWY 18R (I DON'T RECALL THE CALL SIGN) WOULD HAVE BEEN IN ABOUT THE SAME PLACE AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS ACFT X; WHICH BRINGS UP WAKE TURB ISSUES AS WELL AS MIDAIR COLLISION ISSUES. THE RWY 18L/R AND RWY 27 CONFIGN USING CONVERGING RWY DISPLAY AID AT MEM IS A DANGEROUS OP CONSIDERING THE FAA RUSHED WHAT LITTLE TRAINING THEY GAVE; AND THAT TRAINING WAS INADEQUATE. ADD TO THAT THE NEWLY HIRED AND TRAINED CTLRS AT MEM THAT HAVE LITTLE OR NO EXPERIENCE; AND THE LOW TIME PLTS THAT SEEM TO BE FLYING THE MAJORITY OF REGIONAL JETS; AND THE ENVIRONMENT BECOMES RIPE FOR AN INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT. CTLRS AND PLTS NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND PAY ATTN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.