Section 2. Responsibilities
2-2-1. LEGAL
LIABILITIES OF PERSONNEL
a. Guidelines
for representing Federal employees named in tort claims are
promulgated by the Department of Justice (28 CFR Part 50).
b. When
warranted, disciplinary action must be taken without regard to
possible adverse effects on the FAA position in subsequent lawsuits,
enforcement proceedings, or similar actions.
c. In
the case of an accident or incident resulting in a National
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) or a military investigation or
hearing, it may be necessary to delay disciplinary action until the
determination of the investigation or hearing. This is done only to
ensure that all facts are known before final action is taken. The
determination in such investigations must not be used as a basis for
initiating disciplinary action.
2-2-2. JOB
REQUIREMENTS
Each person
must be familiar with the duties and responsibilities of his/her own
position, those of his/her subordinates, if applicable, and to a
limited extent, with those of his/her immediate supervisor. Each
specialist, when designated, must supervise and assist in training
other specialists as appropriate.
2-2-3. POSITION
RESPONSIBILITY
a.
Air traffic
managers must ensure that only one certified air traffic controller is
signed on and responsible for each open position, to include
consolidated positions, at any given time. At the ATCSCC, the national
traffic management officer (NTMO), national traffic management
specialist-in-charge (NTMSIC), and national traffic management
specialist (NTMS) work as a team in order to accomplish the traffic
management goals of an entire operational area. Due to the management
functionality involved in overseeing the NAS, more than one NTMO,
NTMSIC, and/or NTMS can be signed on and responsible for an open
and/or consolidated control position.
NOTE-
When a developmental and an instructor are both signed on at a
position, the instructor is responsible for all activity at that
position.
b. Anytime an operational
area is operated with one air traffic control specialist (ATCS), the
following procedure must be followed: Prior to leaving the
operational area, for any reason, the ATCS must advise all
applicable facilities (tower, approach control, and/or center) that
they are leaving the operational area and must advise the same
facility/facilities upon return. Leaving the operational area should
only be done during periods when the controller is not responsible
for any aircraft.
2-2-4. DUTY
FAMILIARIZATION AND THE TRANSFER OF POSITION RESPONSIBILITY
a. Air
traffic managers must determine which sectors or positions require
“duty familiarization” for each shift and must provide a facility
directive which specifies all sources of operational information which
must be read and/or discussed as a part of the familiarization.
Familiarizations should be scheduled within an 8-hour shift to the
extent possible.
b. Air
traffic managers must determine which sectors or positions must
maintain operational continuity through a transfer of position
responsibility and must:
1. Review
each sector or position and provide a tailored checklist which lists
the equipment and the operational conditions which are likely to be a
factor at that position. Checklists must be reviewed annually to
ensure the sector/position checklist items are current.
(a) Items
which should be included on the checklist, if relevant, are:
(1) STATUS
INFORMATION AREA/S.
(2) EQUIPMENT: NAVAIDs,
Radar(s), Radios, Automated Weather Observing Systems, etc.
(3) AIRPORT
CONDITIONS/STATUS.
(4) AIRPORT
ACTIVITIES; e.g., snow removal, vehicles on runway, etc.
(5) ALTIMETER/TRENDS.
(6) WEATHER/TRENDS.
(7) FLOW
CONTROL.
(8) SPECIAL ACTIVITIES;
e.g., restricted/warning areas in use, airshows, flight checks, new
procedures, etc.
(9) SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS/RESTRICTIONS;
e.g., due to adjacent position training, nonstandard
staffing/configuration, etc.
(10) STAFFING.
(11) TRAINING
IN PROGRESS.
(12) VERBALLY
STATE RUNWAY STATUS; unavailable, closed, occupied.
(13) PERTINENT OPERATIONAL NOTAMs, UNLESS
PREVIOUSLY COVERED.
NOTE-
Air traffic managers at facilities equipped with automated NOTAM
systems must designate those systems as the primary source of NOTAM
information.
(14) Non-RVSM
aircraft operations.
(15) COMMUNICATION
STATUS and TRAFFIC.
(b) The
checklist for a specific position need not include those items which
are incorporated into the Status Information Area/s used by that
position.
(c) Status
Information Area/s (SIA), when available, must be the first item
listed on the position checklist.
(d) When
traffic is included on the position checklist, it must be the last
item listed. When relevant to the position, include the following
sub-items under the traffic heading so that they will not be
inadvertently overlooked:
(1) Special
Activity Aircraft; e.g., aircraft operating in a special use
area/airspace, helicopters on prescribed routes, etc.
(2) Point
out aircraft.
(3) Holding
aircraft.
(4) Primary
targets with no associated alphanumerics.
(5) Aircraft
handed off but still in the airspace.
(6) Aircraft
released but not yet airborne.
(7) Nonradar
operations.
(8) VFR
advisory aircraft.
(9) Aircraft
standing by for service.
(10) Coordination
agreements with other positions.
(11) Special
problems, requests, or instructions.
(e) Air
traffic managers may increase the number of items and/or the
level of detail of the position relief checklists as they deem
necessary.
2. To
the extent possible, provide a SIA/s from which specialists may obtain
the operational information relevant to the position being worked. The
SIA/s may consist of a single or any combination of informational
sources where status information can be recorded and displayed. These
areas may include, but not be limited to, facility/area/position
status boards, weather status boards, “hot item” binders, clip board
information sheets, and designated areas for written notes.
3. Designate,
through a facility directive, the position/s having responsibility for
the accuracy of the various items contained on the SIA/s. The
designated position/s should be the focal point for the type of status
information for which they are responsible and, except for the
accuracy of written notes located at the position, should not be a
specialist having primary and direct responsibility for the provision
of service or separation to aircraft.
c. To
the maximum extent practicable the position relief briefing must be
recorded.
d. Specialists
manning the positions identified under subpara 2-2-4b, requiring the
maintenance of operational continuity, must conduct a position relief
briefing in accordance with FAAO JO 7110.65, Air Traffic Control,
Appendix D, Standard Operating Practice (SOP) for the Transfer of
Position Responsibility, or FAAO JO 7110.10, Flight Services,
para 1-3-3, Duty Familiarization and Transfer of Position
Responsibility.
e. Responsibilities:
1. The
specialist being relieved must be responsible for ensuring that any
pertinent status information of which he/she is aware is relayed to
the relieving specialist and is either:
(a) Accurately
displayed on the SIA/s for which he/she has responsibility, or
(b) Relayed
to the position having the responsibility for accurately displaying
that status information.
2. The
relieving specialist must be responsible for ensuring that any
unresolved questions pertaining to the operation of the position are
resolved prior to accepting responsibility for the position.
3. The
relieving specialist and the specialist being relieved must share
equal responsibility for the completeness and the accuracy of the
position relief briefing.
NOTE-
The sharing of this responsibility means that the specialist being
relieved is obligated to provide a complete, accurate briefing, and
the relieving specialist is obligated to ensure that a briefing takes
place and is to his/her total satisfaction.
4. The specialists engaged in a position
relief must conduct the relief process at the position being relieved
unless other procedures have been established and authorized by the
facility air traffic manager.
2-2-5. OPERATING INITIALS
a. Specialists
must be assigned two-letter operating initials to identify the
employee for record purposes. When all combinations of letters are
depleted, duplicate initials may be assigned to personnel working in
different areas of specialization.
b. Unless
signatures are specifically requested, use assigned operating initials
for all operating forms, interphone contacts, marking of recorder
tapes, and other records.
c. A
current file of assigned initials must be maintained.
2-2-6. SIGN
IN/OUT AND ON/OFF PROCEDURES
The following
is applicable to all FAA air traffic facilities, but does not apply to
FAA contract facilities.
Cru-X/ART is
the official time and attendance system for both signing in/out for a
shift and on and off positions, not paper logs nor Common ARTS/HOST/NTML/FSS
operational system or other Agency or local programs. Facilities may
use Common ARTS/HOST/NTML/FSS operational system to sign on positions
for position preference settings; however, these systems/programs must
not be used for official time and attendance nor position times.
Duplicate paper logs for sign in/out of the shift and on and off
positions must not be utilized during normal daily operations.
a. FAA
operations managers-in-charge (OMIC)/ front-line managers (FLM)/supervisory
traffic management coordinators (STMC)/national operations managers
(NOM)/national traffic management officers (NTMO)/controllers-in-charge
(CIC) of the watch are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the
personnel log for time and attendance (T&A) recording. T&A information
must be entered into and maintained within the ATO Resource Tool (ART)
system approved.
1. The
facility air traffic manager must ensure that procedures are in place
so that operational schedules are entered correctly into ART.
2. Employees
must use ART to sign in and out of their shifts.
(a) Sign
in for a shift must be accomplished no later than the shift assigned
time unless the OS/STMC/NTMO/CIC and/or OMIC has approved leave at the
start of the assigned shift. Sign in, using the assigned shift start
time, may occur up to 15 minutes before an employee's assigned shift.
Earning of, and signing in for, Time Outside Shift time at the
beginning of an assigned shift must receive approval by the OS/STMC/NTMO/CIC
or OMIC prior to earning or recording it into Cru-X/ART.
NOTE-
Shift/Core hour changes must be in accordance with local and national
policy. Earning Time Outside Shift (overtime, credit hours, etc.) must
be approved by the OS/STMC/NTMO/CIC or OMIC prior to entering it into
Cru-X/ART or working it.
(b) In
situations where it is known in advance that employees will not report
to the facility, such as when attending an all day meeting outside the
facility, facilities should enter the employee's shift in the schedule
as an Other Duty Code.
(c) Sign
out must be accomplished at the end of an employee's assigned shift.
Sign out using the assigned shift end time may be accomplished no
earlier than 15 minutes prior to the end of the shift, or no later
than 15 minutes after the end of the assigned shift. Any Time Outside
Shift at the end of an assigned shift, or leave, must first receive
OS/STMC/NTMO/CIC or OMIC approval prior to earning/using and recording
such time in Cru X/ART.
3. The
supervisor/CIC position relief briefing check list must include:
(a) T&A
status,
(b) Other
Duties,
(c) Time
Outside Shift (TOS) requests/approvals, and
(d) Leave
requests/approvals.
NOTE-
Upon signing on position the OMIC/FLM/STMC/NOM/NTMO/CIC assumes full
responsibility of all check list items including those identified
above.
4. It is the employee's responsibility to
notify the OMIC/FLM/STMC/NOM/NTMO/CIC of the watch of any changes to
“Other Duty" shifts. For example, an employee is outside of the
facility on another duty and requests a day of sick leave.
5. In
the event of electronic system failure, scheduled system outage, or
facility evacuation, the paper FAA Form 7230-10, “Position Log,” must
be used to indicate position responsibility. When the ART system has
been restored or the facility reoccupied, the facility must ensure
that all data collected with the paper FAA Form 7230-10's is entered
into ART. In instances where the data cannot be entered into ART, the
paper FAA Form 7230-10's must be retained in accordance with document
retention guidance.
b. The
Cru-X/ART electronic logs must be used to indicate responsibility at
all operational positions and for supervisory traffic management
coordinator-in-charge (STMCIC), operations supervisor-in-charge (OSIC),
traffic management coordinator-in-charge (TMCIC), and CIC functions.
It is the responsibility of the relieved controller to enter the
correct change of position responsibility time in Cru-X/ART. In
situations where there is no relieved controller, such as when opening
a position, the person opening the position is responsible for
entering the correct position time or notifying the supervisor/STMC/CIC
of the position opening time. The supervisor/STMC/NTMO/CIC must then
enter that time into Cru-X/ART.
2-2-7. CIRNOT
HANDLING
A CIRNOT
initiated by WMSCR/NNCC must be transmitted to all circuit users.
a. WMSCR/NNCC
must maintain a record of all CIRNOTs and forward a hard copy to FAA
Headquarters, Terminal Safety and Operations Support by the most
expeditious means available.
b. FSS
air traffic managers must provide CIRNOTs to the Terminal Operations
Service Area office and/or other field facilities upon request.
c. CIRNOTs
should be retained at the receiving facility for 120 days.
NOTE-
The most expeditious means is transmitting the CIRNOT via facsimile,
telephone, mail, electronic mail, etc.
2-2-8. GENOT HANDLING
A GENOT
initiated by headquarters ATO organizations, requiring distribution to
air traffic facilities, must be transmitted to all Service Area
offices, Flight Service Stations (FSS), and ARTCCs.
a. Terminal
Operations Service Area office must distribute GENOTs to the following
using the most expeditious means available:
1. FAA
contract and non-Federal towers.
2. FAA
military ATREPS assigned to the service area.
NOTE-
The most expeditious means is transmitting the GENOT via facsimile,
telephone, mail, electronic mail, etc.
b. The
FSS must distribute the GENOT to all FAA field facilities addressed,
except ARTCCs, within their designated areas as determined by the
respective Service Area office using the most expeditious means
available.
REFERENCE-
FAAO JO 7210.3, Para 2-2-8a2 Note.
c. Terminal
Hub facilities distribute all GENOTs in plain language format to all
non-Federal and contract ATCTs which are located within their Hub
Area. The GENOT must be distributed in the most expeditious means
available.
REFERENCE-
FAAO JO 7210.3, Para 2-2-8a2 Note.
d. Air
traffic managers at all facilities must:
1. Disseminate
GENOT information to concerned facility personnel. The content of the
message will dictate the priority of the distribution.
2. Ensure
that all employees with a need to know are thoroughly briefed on the
change prior to performing their duties.
3. Ensure
that the appropriate entry is made in the employee's Training and
Proficiency Record, Form 3120-1.
2-2-9. PERSONNEL BRIEFINGS REGARDING AIR TRAFFIC BULLETIN ITEMS
The Air Traffic
Bulletin is a means of communication between headquarters and field
facilities. It is routinely published and distributed quarterly. In
addition, special issues are published and distributed as necessary.
It is not a directive, nor is it to implement new procedures. Its
intent is to transmit “reminders” concerning proper application of
procedures and other instructions. To provide continuity of
communication, facility air traffic managers must:
a. Ensure
that the facility is on the distribution list for the Air Traffic
Bulletin. Any corrections/additions/deletions should be
directed thru the regional distribution officer.
b. Ensure
that Air Traffic Bulletin items with operational/procedural impacts
are verbally discussed/briefed with facility personnel. These
briefings must take place within 30 days after receipt of the
bulletin. Once the briefings are given, a notation must be inserted in
each individual's FAA Form 3120-1, including the certification
signature provided by the staff specialist/supervisor and the
employee's initials.
1. The
option/s for which a briefing is required will be indicated by an
asterisk followed by one or more letter designators; i.e.:
(a) *T -
Tower, combined tower/approach control;
(b) *R -
TRACON;
(c) *F -
FSS;
(d) *E -
ARTCC (En Route);
(e) *EF
- ARTCC and FSS; etc.
2. The
option/s for which briefings are recommended but not required will
follow the option/s for which briefings are required, separated by a
slash; i.e., /*T/E, indicates that for the en route option the
briefing is recommended.
c. Solicit
suggested Air Traffic Bulletin items, having operational/procedural
impact from facility personnel at regular personnel or crew briefings;
evaluate and forward those considered appropriate for Service Area
office review. Service area offices must evaluate and forward to
System Safety Procedures those proposals considered significant and
national in scope.
2-2-10. LAW
ENFORCEMENT INFORMATION
Law enforcement
information; e.g., aircraft identification, flight schedules, flight
operations, procedures, aircraft lookouts, etc., is of great value to
drug traffickers and others attempting to circumvent the law. Although
law enforcement information is normally unclassified, it is considered
to be inherently sensitive, of a confidential nature, and is to be
handled on a “For Official Use Only” (FOUO) basis. Facility air
traffic managers must ensure that such information is safeguarded from
disclosure in accordance with FAAO 1600.2, Safeguarding Controls and
Procedures for Classified National Security Information and Sensitive
Information, whether the information is physically marked with the
FOUO term or not. “Safeguarded from disclosure” includes precaution
against oral disclosure, prevention of visual access, and precaution
against unauthorized release, gratuitously or in response to a
specific request.
2-2-11. PERSONNEL BRIEFINGS REGARDING ORDER CHANGES
Air traffic
managers must ensure that facility air traffic personnel are verbally
briefed on changes to FAAO JO 7110.65, Air Traffic Control, FAAO
JO 7210.3, Facility Operation and Administration, and FAAO JO
7110.10, Flight Services, and other appropriate directives, that have
operational/procedural significance.
2-2-12. SYSTEMS
MANAGEMENT OF VSCS EQUIPMENT
Air traffic
facility managers must determine which VSCS console equipment (VCE)
positions require tailored checklists. The checklist must include as a
minimum, the configuration map in use and the specific position
eligibility/capability (classmark) adapted to maintain operational
continuity.
2-2-13. REPORTING EQUIPMENT TROUBLE
Equipment
trouble reports are normally delivered by air traffic personnel to
Technical Operations Control Center personnel in person or by
telephone. Locally developed procedures that are agreed to jointly by
the air traffic and Technical Operations managers may be used for
trouble reporting. In the absence of locally developed procedures, the
following must apply: Trouble reports must specify the facility,
sector and position affected and include a brief description of the
problem. In addition:
a. For air/ground communications problems,
the frequency or frequencies affected must be specified.
EXAMPLE-
“Atlanta Sector 66R side 123.4 no transmit.”
b. For
air/ground communications problems, the calling and the called
locations must be specified.
EXAMPLE-
“Seattle Sector 46D side hot line to Salt Lake City is not working.”
2-2-14. FACILITY DIRECTIVES REPOSITORY (FDR)
The Facility
Directives Repository (FDR) provides a centralized, automated
web-based library for FAA employees to access all Letters of Agreement
(LOA), Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), and FAA Facility Orders
(FO) for Air Traffic Facilities throughout the National Airspace
System.
NOTE-
Directive information for Flight Service Stations (LOAs, SOPs, FOs)
will only be required for those located in Alaska.
a. The
Vice President's responsibility includes:
1. The
Vice President for En Route and Oceanic Services must develop
processes within the service unit to ensure repository entry functions
are discharged effectively.
2. The
Vice President for Terminal Services must develop processes within the
service unit to ensure repository entry functions are discharged
effectively.
3. The
Vice President for System Operations Services must administer user
functions and develop processes within the service unit to ensure
repository entry functions are discharged effectively.
4. The
Vice President for Operations Planning Services must administer system
functions, provide access to the internet mirror site, and oversee the
site operation and maintenance.
5. The
Vice President for Safety Services oversees compliance.
b. Facility
Managers must:
1. Ensure
that current LOAs, SOPs and FOs are posted to the repository site.
2. Ensure
that new and revised LOAs, SOPs and FOs are posted to the repository
site before the effective date of the document.
3. Establish
an internal administrative process to ensure the posting,
completeness, and accuracy of their facility's documents.
4. Ensure
Classified, Contractor Propriety, and For Official Use Only
information, is removed or excluded from posted documents.
5. Ensure
that all outdated and cancelled documents are removed from the FDR
database.
c. District
Managers must:
1. Assist
in the posting of documents, required in b1 and 2 above, for
facilities that do not have FAA intranet access or automation
capability.
2. Establish
an administrative process to ensure facility compliance.
3. Ensure
Classified, Contractor Propriety, and For Official Use Only
information, is removed or excluded from posted documents.
d. Safety/Quality
Assurance Offices must ensure facility compliance with posting LOAs,
SOPs and FOs in the repository site in facility evaluation checklists.
e. The
repository database is an intranet site within the FAA automation
network firewall at https://loa.faa.gov.
1. Personnel
with access to the FAA intranet may view documents without the need
for a log-in or user account.
2. Personnel
external to the firewall may view documents on a mirrored internet
site with authorization by an FAA sponsor. Access to the mirror site
requires a User ID and password that are valid for the period
necessary to execute the sponsored activity. Contact information and
instructions are available on the internet site.
3. Personnel responsible for maintaining the
facility's documents must register with the site to establish a user
account.
4. A
facility may have up to three user accounts. User information is
located in the user manual on the site's homepage.
5. Facility/District
managers are the approving authority for user account privileges for
their facilities.
(a) Users
must complete an electronic registration page on the site to request
access.
(b) The
Facility/District manager will be notified via an email message when a
user makes a request for account privileges. Approval must be made via
the automated privilege link.
(c) Users
will be notified of their approval by e-mail.
(d) Direct
problems or questions to the facility point of contact identified on
the facility homepage in the repository. |
