Narrative:

Runway 18L was closed. I was working local 2 position in the tower; controling traffic landing and departing runway 18C. There was a local control 3 open working traffic landing runway 27; also. Approach was using converging runway display aid (crda) to sequence aircraft to runway 18C and runway 27. A DC9 was on approach to runway 18C and a crj-200 was on approach to runway 27; sequenced to arrive behind DC9. For the entire push; the runway 27 final controller had vectored his aircraft close to the target converging runway display aid provided; so I could not make the decision that the operation was not going to work until the last second. In this instance; I instructed DC9 to go around on less than a 1/2 mi final because crj-200 was over the approach end of runway 27. While coordinating the re-sequence of DC9; I noticed a departure flight progress strip sitting in my bay for runway 18C. A crj-700 had been waiting at the approach end for approximately 8-10 mins. My attention had been so focused on the converging runway display aid operations for the arrival aircraft that I hadn't noticed the aircraft waiting for departure. I wish that either the ground controller who had taxied the aircraft or the pilot of the aircraft had called to let me know they were there. Due to insufficient training on the converging runway display aid operation; this operation is not very consistent and; therefore; not very safe at mem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM LCL CTLR DESCRIBED GAR AND DELAYED DEP EVENTS; CLAIMING CRDA OPS WERE A CAUSAL FACTOR FOR BOTH; ADDING; MINIMAL CRDA TRAINING MINIMAL GIVEN.

Narrative: RWY 18L WAS CLOSED. I WAS WORKING LCL 2 POS IN THE TWR; CTLING TFC LNDG AND DEPARTING RWY 18C. THERE WAS A LCL CTL 3 OPEN WORKING TFC LNDG RWY 27; ALSO. APCH WAS USING CONVERGING RWY DISPLAY AID (CRDA) TO SEQUENCE ACFT TO RWY 18C AND RWY 27. A DC9 WAS ON APCH TO RWY 18C AND A CRJ-200 WAS ON APCH TO RWY 27; SEQUENCED TO ARRIVE BEHIND DC9. FOR THE ENTIRE PUSH; THE RWY 27 FINAL CTLR HAD VECTORED HIS ACFT CLOSE TO THE TARGET CONVERGING RWY DISPLAY AID PROVIDED; SO I COULD NOT MAKE THE DECISION THAT THE OP WAS NOT GOING TO WORK UNTIL THE LAST SECOND. IN THIS INSTANCE; I INSTRUCTED DC9 TO GO AROUND ON LESS THAN A 1/2 MI FINAL BECAUSE CRJ-200 WAS OVER THE APCH END OF RWY 27. WHILE COORDINATING THE RE-SEQUENCE OF DC9; I NOTICED A DEP FLT PROGRESS STRIP SITTING IN MY BAY FOR RWY 18C. A CRJ-700 HAD BEEN WAITING AT THE APCH END FOR APPROX 8-10 MINS. MY ATTN HAD BEEN SO FOCUSED ON THE CONVERGING RWY DISPLAY AID OPS FOR THE ARR ACFT THAT I HADN'T NOTICED THE ACFT WAITING FOR DEP. I WISH THAT EITHER THE GND CTLR WHO HAD TAXIED THE ACFT OR THE PLT OF THE ACFT HAD CALLED TO LET ME KNOW THEY WERE THERE. DUE TO INSUFFICIENT TRAINING ON THE CONVERGING RWY DISPLAY AID OP; THIS OP IS NOT VERY CONSISTENT AND; THEREFORE; NOT VERY SAFE AT MEM.

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.