TLH TRACON CTLR RPTS RADAR OUTAGE FOR A DAY REQUIRING THE USE OF CENRAP; RESULTING IN NON RADAR PROCS BELOW 4000 FT. RPTR STATES OUTAGE WAS SO LENGTHY AS REPAIR PERSONNEL WERE NOT CALLED AS A COST SAVING MEASURE.

Date: 2006-10

Anomalies: other-radar-outage

Synopsis

TLH TRACON CTLR RPTS RADAR OUTAGE FOR A DAY REQUIRING THE USE OF CENRAP; RESULTING IN NON RADAR PROCS BELOW 4000 FT. RPTR STATES OUTAGE WAS SO LENGTHY AS REPAIR PERSONNEL WERE NOT CALLED AS A COST SAVING MEASURE.

Narrative

ON OCT/SUN/06; AT XA10Z THE RADAR AT TALLAHASSEE DISCONTINUED WORKING. CENRAP PROCS WERE INITIATED. AT TALLAHASSEE WE HAVE TO USE NON-RADAR PROCS BELOW 4000 FT MSL DUE TO THE LIMITATIONS OF CENRAP. THE SOUTHERN REGION AOCC WAS CALLED ABOUT THIS OUTAGE AND THE CTLRS WERE EXPECTING AN AIRWAYS FACILITY TECHNICIAN TO BE CALLED IN AND FIX THE RADAR AND RETURN TALLAHASSEE APCH TO NORMAL OPERATING STATUS. THE AIRWAYS FACILITY TECHNICIAN NEVER RPTED TO THE FACILITY TO MAKE REPAIRS AND TALLAHASSEE REMAINED IN CENRAP UNTIL OCT/MON/06 AT XN30Z. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THE FAA CALLBACK ORDER HAS BEEN CHANGED REGARDING FIXING EQUIP. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE FAA HAS PLACED A HIGHER PRIORITY ON SAVING MONEY THAN SAFETY (NOT CALLING IN AN AIRWAYS FACILITY TECHNICIAN FOR OVERTIME TO FIX THE RADAR). WITH THIS NEW WAY OF BUSINESS (NO OVERTIME) TALLAHASSEE APCH COULD BE WITHOUT RADAR FROM CLOSE OF BUSINESSES ON FRIDAY UNTIL OPENING ON MONDAY; IF WE HAVE ANOTHER OUTAGE. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A SAFETY/SECURITY ISSUE AND ADDS UNNECESSARY WORKLOAD TO CTLRS JUST TO SAVE MONEY. I THINK WHEN THERE IS A RADAR OUTAGE AT TALLAHASSEE IT SHOULD BE A HIGH PRIORITY TO RETURN IT TO SVC.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.