RNO CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING STAFFING AND MGMNT PRACTICES REF SUPVR DUTIES AND QUALIFICATIONS.

Date: 2007-04

Anomalies: other-cic-supvr-responsibilities

Synopsis

RNO CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING STAFFING AND MGMNT PRACTICES REF SUPVR DUTIES AND QUALIFICATIONS.

Narrative

UNTIL VERY RECENTLY (LAST 30 DAYS) IT WAS REQUIRED SOP THAT THE CIC POS BE ASSIGNED IN BOTH TWR AND RADAR. THIS RESPONSIBILITY WAS USUALLY ASSIGNED TO A CERTIFIED CTLR WHO WAS ALSO WORKING ANOTHER POS. RARELY; WAS THIS POS STAFFED AS A STAND-ALONE. THIS IS DUE TO OUR REDUCED STAFFING LEVELS AT RNO. LIKE OTHER FACILITIES; THIS IS A RESULT OF AT LEAST 10 RETIREES AND A XFER. SINCE THE FAA HAS ALL; BUT ELIMINATED OVERTIME TO PROPERLY STAFF SHIFTS; THEREFORE; THE FACILITY ATM HAS MANDATED COMBINING CLRNC DELIVERY; AND GND CTL IN SPITE OF CTLR OBJECTIONS. THESE OBJECTIONS ARE BASED ON TAKING AWAY THE CTLRS ATTN FROM THE RWYS AND TXWYS AND REQUIRING THEM TO WORK THE CLRNC POS WITH HEAD DOWN ON FLT STRIPS; ARTS KEYBOARD; ATIS EQUIP; ETC. DUE TO DECREASE IN QUALIFIED CTLRS AND THE DEP OF 2 SUPVRS THE ATM BEGAN A PRACTICE OF ELIMINATING A CIC IN EITHER THE TRACON OR TWR. IF THE SUPVR WAS IN THE TWR; THEY WOULD COMBINE THE CIC FUNCTION TO THE TWR OR VICE VERSA. TO EXPOUND THE SIT THE ATM BEGAN A PRACTICE OF ASSIGNING WATCH SUPERVISION DUTIES IN THE TWR AND COMBINING THE RADAR CIC TO HIMSELF IN THE TWR; ELIMINATING THE ABILITY TO 'MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS' OF THE RADAR OP. THE OTHER PRACTICE INCLUDES A NEW SUPVR WHO IS NOT YET QUALIFIED THROUGH THE TWR CAB. BOTH OF THESE INCIDENTS ARE IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF FAA ORDERS 7210.36 2-6-1; 2-6-2; 2-6-3 AN THE FACILITY SOP. ON THE MORNING OF APR/THU/07; I WAS CIC IN THE TWR AND WAS ALSO WORKING CLRNC DELIVERY AND GND CTL COMBINED. THE ATM CAME UPSTAIRS AND ASSUMED BOTH TWR AND RADAR CIC RESPONSIBILITIES. I ASKED HIM IF HE WAS MEDICALLY QUALIFIED TO PERFORM CIC/SUPVR DUTIES TO WHICH HE REPLIED 'I DONT' HAVE TO.' I REFED THE ABOVE PARAGRAPHS AND STATED THAT NOT ONLY DOES HE HAVE TO POSSESS A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE BUT THAT BOTH HE AND THE NEW SUPVR NEEDED TO BE FACILITY QUALIFIED IN ORDER TO CONDUCT THOSE DUTIES. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO NO LONGER QUESTION HIM ABOUT IT. THE FAA CLAIMS THERE'S NOT A STAFFING ISSUE; BUT THEY ARE DISREGARDING LONG STANDING REGS; FAILING TO PROPERLY STAFF THE FACILITIES AND FORCING CTLRS TO WORK COMBINED TFC. THIS HAPPENING ELSEWHERE.

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