Narrative:

I have spent the last couple of yrs complaining about the removal of the a-side position at ZFW. When we had a-sides; the distribution of printed strips was quick and regular. Now the distribution is handled by the front line manager and is much less stable. Strips are printed for non-radar aircraft; arrs; departures; airmets; sigmets; PIREPS; etc. We are required to transmit WX information and note the time of transmission on the strip; and we are also required to note clearance and other information on the flight strip of arrs and departures within our area. This notation fills a legal requirement and is important if a legal case resulting from an accident or such. At ZFW we are risking pilots' lives and big legal costs by having the front line mgrs distribute the strips. Almost every day I have to manually request strips for arrs and departures and then advise the front line manager I need a certain strip. If I don't do this; over 1/2 my required flight strips don't make it to the sector. The WX strips are distributed as the front line manager gets time. We generally don't see front line mgrs checking strips until the output bin on a printer starts overflowing (about 15-20 strips to do this); and even then; we have taken to telling the front line manager that they 'are listening' to cue them that this is happening.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZFW CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE REMOVAL OF A-SIDE CTLRS; CLAIMING NEEDED STRIP AND WX INFO IS NOT BEING DISTRIBUTED AS NEEDED.

Narrative: I HAVE SPENT THE LAST COUPLE OF YRS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE REMOVAL OF THE A-SIDE POS AT ZFW. WHEN WE HAD A-SIDES; THE DISTRIBUTION OF PRINTED STRIPS WAS QUICK AND REGULAR. NOW THE DISTRIBUTION IS HANDLED BY THE FRONT LINE MGR AND IS MUCH LESS STABLE. STRIPS ARE PRINTED FOR NON-RADAR ACFT; ARRS; DEPS; AIRMETS; SIGMETS; PIREPS; ETC. WE ARE REQUIRED TO XMIT WX INFO AND NOTE THE TIME OF XMISSION ON THE STRIP; AND WE ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO NOTE CLRNC AND OTHER INFO ON THE FLT STRIP OF ARRS AND DEPS WITHIN OUR AREA. THIS NOTATION FILLS A LEGAL REQUIREMENT AND IS IMPORTANT IF A LEGAL CASE RESULTING FROM AN ACCIDENT OR SUCH. AT ZFW WE ARE RISKING PLTS' LIVES AND BIG LEGAL COSTS BY HAVING THE FRONT LINE MGRS DISTRIBUTE THE STRIPS. ALMOST EVERY DAY I HAVE TO MANUALLY REQUEST STRIPS FOR ARRS AND DEPS AND THEN ADVISE THE FRONT LINE MGR I NEED A CERTAIN STRIP. IF I DON'T DO THIS; OVER 1/2 MY REQUIRED FLT STRIPS DON'T MAKE IT TO THE SECTOR. THE WX STRIPS ARE DISTRIBUTED AS THE FRONT LINE MGR GETS TIME. WE GENERALLY DON'T SEE FRONT LINE MGRS CHKING STRIPS UNTIL THE OUTPUT BIN ON A PRINTER STARTS OVERFLOWING (ABOUT 15-20 STRIPS TO DO THIS); AND EVEN THEN; WE HAVE TAKEN TO TELLING THE FRONT LINE MGR THAT THEY 'ARE LISTENING' TO CUE THEM THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.

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.