Narrative:

I wanted to comment somewhere; and was frustrated looking on-line. We didn't really have any incident; but I did want to point out a safety concern. On an evening flight to mmu; there were numerous thunderstorms; and we waited 1 hour for our edct; not really thinking that we could get all the way to mmu due to severe WX in the area. Like a number of other aircraft; due to WX and obvious ATC load; we diverted into ric to await the line's passing through the PA/nj area. We landed around XA45 and ended up departing again at XC45. A good smooth flight back to mmu. Kudos to the controllers that brought us into ric and the tower/ground controller there at ric. The controller was obviously working hard under challenging conditions. I did have a concern; however; as it appeared that the controller was alone in the tower cabin attendant. It seemed that this controller was the only one working there. The controller handled the situation with calm good humor; but it did seem that the workload was hazardous as they dealt with delays; clearance; ground and tower functions. I would imagine that typically it must be pretty quiet at ric at XC00. I'm sure that one controller can easily handle the workload. However; with numerous diverted aircraft; all looking to be on their way once again; it sure could have enhanced safety for them to have some help up there. I'm sure staffing is tough; but perhaps management can assess contingencies during times when heavy WX is expected; and operations can be much higher than anticipated. In general; I'm a big supporter of ATC; and they did a good job this evening as well; but I did have concerns in listening to what seemed to be an overburdened controller trying to cope with a very busy and complex situation. The opportunity for error was high.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL60 PLT VOICED CONCERN REGARDING MINIMAL CTLR STAFFING AT RIC DURING LATE NIGHT OPS WHEN SEVERAL DIVERSION ACFT WERE AWAITING DEP CLRNC.

Narrative: I WANTED TO COMMENT SOMEWHERE; AND WAS FRUSTRATED LOOKING ON-LINE. WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANY INCIDENT; BUT I DID WANT TO POINT OUT A SAFETY CONCERN. ON AN EVENING FLT TO MMU; THERE WERE NUMEROUS TSTMS; AND WE WAITED 1 HR FOR OUR EDCT; NOT REALLY THINKING THAT WE COULD GET ALL THE WAY TO MMU DUE TO SEVERE WX IN THE AREA. LIKE A NUMBER OF OTHER ACFT; DUE TO WX AND OBVIOUS ATC LOAD; WE DIVERTED INTO RIC TO AWAIT THE LINE'S PASSING THROUGH THE PA/NJ AREA. WE LANDED AROUND XA45 AND ENDED UP DEPARTING AGAIN AT XC45. A GOOD SMOOTH FLT BACK TO MMU. KUDOS TO THE CTLRS THAT BROUGHT US INTO RIC AND THE TWR/GND CTLR THERE AT RIC. THE CTLR WAS OBVIOUSLY WORKING HARD UNDER CHALLENGING CONDITIONS. I DID HAVE A CONCERN; HOWEVER; AS IT APPEARED THAT THE CTLR WAS ALONE IN THE TWR CAB. IT SEEMED THAT THIS CTLR WAS THE ONLY ONE WORKING THERE. THE CTLR HANDLED THE SITUATION WITH CALM GOOD HUMOR; BUT IT DID SEEM THAT THE WORKLOAD WAS HAZARDOUS AS THEY DEALT WITH DELAYS; CLRNC; GND AND TWR FUNCTIONS. I WOULD IMAGINE THAT TYPICALLY IT MUST BE PRETTY QUIET AT RIC AT XC00. I'M SURE THAT ONE CTLR CAN EASILY HANDLE THE WORKLOAD. HOWEVER; WITH NUMEROUS DIVERTED ACFT; ALL LOOKING TO BE ON THEIR WAY ONCE AGAIN; IT SURE COULD HAVE ENHANCED SAFETY FOR THEM TO HAVE SOME HELP UP THERE. I'M SURE STAFFING IS TOUGH; BUT PERHAPS MGMNT CAN ASSESS CONTINGENCIES DURING TIMES WHEN HVY WX IS EXPECTED; AND OPS CAN BE MUCH HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED. IN GENERAL; I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF ATC; AND THEY DID A GOOD JOB THIS EVENING AS WELL; BUT I DID HAVE CONCERNS IN LISTENING TO WHAT SEEMED TO BE AN OVERBURDENED CTLR TRYING TO COPE WITH A VERY BUSY AND COMPLEX SITUATION. THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ERROR WAS HIGH.

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.