SCT CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING THE FAC TRAINING PROGRAM; STAFFING AND NEW SECTOR AIRSPACE.

Narrative

THIS RPT IS SIMPLY TO NOTIFY AN AGENCY THAT MAY CARE ABOUT THE SLIPSHOD TRAINING PRACTICES FOR FPL'S AT SOCAL TRACON. I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A BLANKET STATEMENT ABOUT THE POOR PLAN. THE FACILITY IS USING THE ABSORB PALM SPRINGS APCH; AS THAT IS NOT MY AREA OF EXPERTISE. IF THE FAA BELIEVES THAT ABSORBING 3 OR 4 MORE SECTORS INTO AN AREA WITH ONLY 30 CPC'S THAT AVERAGES 53 OVERTIME SHIFTS A PAY PERIOD; WHO AM I TO ARGUE? INCIDENTALLY; THERE WILL BE ACCIDENTS DUE TO LACK OF TRAINING FOR THE PALM SPRINGS CTLRS IN THE EMPIRE AREA OF SCT. MY ISSUE IS THE POOR TRAINING I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING AT SCT. FROM MY START AT COAST APCH; I WORKED AN LAX ARPT DEP SECTOR CALLED NEWPORT. AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE; IT IS BUSY AND COMPLICATED WITH TFC FROM LAX; LGB; AND SNA ALL MIXED TOGETHER. IN 1998; A NEW AREA WAS CREATED AT SCT CALLED THE 'DEP AREA;' AND I NO LONGER WORKED THE NEWPORT SECTOR. NOW THAT THE FAA'S STAFFING HAS REACHED THE CRISIS STAGE; I AM NOW BEING FORCED TO WORK THE NEWPORT SECTOR AGAIN. MY TRAINING CONSISTED OF 7 AND 1/2 HRS OF RADAR INSTRUCTION AND 2 HRS OF HDOF INSTRUCTION; AND THEN I WAS SIGNED OFF. I HAVE NOT WORKED THAT POS SINCE THAT DAY. THE LACK OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO RETAIN AN ADEQUATE LEVEL OF CURRENCY HAS CREATED A SITUATION WHERE THE POSSIBILITY OF A MISTAKE HAS BECOME ALMOST CERTAIN. OBVIOUSLY; WHEN THAT ERROR INEVITABLY OCCURS; MY RESPONSE WILL BE; 'WHAT DID YOU EXPECT; I HAVEN'T WORKED THE POS IN YRS!' BECAUSE OF THE FAA'S POOR LEADERSHIP AND ITS REFUSAL TO ACCEPT ANY CRITICISM; THESE RPTS HAVE BECOME THE ONLY WAY FOR A CTLR TO MAKE A COMPLAINT.