Beech 1900
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors
A B190 was inbound from the north on a 170 heading; level at 11;000 FT MSL to enter the downwind. Because the east departure push was just beginning; Tower coordinated all North gate departures on a 345 heading. A B737 was a North gate departure routed over the transition. Normally; this aircraft would be issued a 020 heading from Tower; but due to the East gate volume was issued a 345 heading. I was also working an IFR BE9L; 9;000 FT MSL that departed off a satellite airport routed on a SID. This aircraft was asking for higher and I explained that higher wasn't available for at least 30 miles and 13;000 FT was as high as I could go due to our East gate restriction of props to be level at 13;000 FT. The BE9L asked if he could cancel IFR and go VFR at 17;500 FT. I canceled his IFR Flight Plan; issued a climb through Bravo airspace up to 17;500 FT. I asked Flight Data to amend the BE9L to VFR at 17;500 FT. Flight Data was unable to make the amendment due to lack of proficiency on the Flight Data Information Operation (FDIO); and asked for my help. I turned around to explain the steps to amend an altitude and FLM working data said 'it says rejected.' I gave the FDIO instructions again and the B737 reported leveling at 10;500 FT for traffic. I turned the B737 right to 060 and turned a B190 twenty degrees right and issued traffic. The B190 reported the B737 in sight; I instructed the B190 to maintain visual separation from the B737. Both aircraft continued on without incident. At the very least; it is imperative that ALL members of the TRACON are familiar and proficient on all aspects of Flight Data and the FDIO. There are maybe 5 of us here that are familiar with the FDIO and how to use it correctly. That number is way too low. We are often asked to help with amendments because others cannot get them done in a timely manner. I had a similar situation less than 2 weeks ago where a Flight Plan could not be entered; then it was entered incorrectly and without a beacon code. It caused undue delay to the aircraft and increased my workload because I was asked to help enter the Fight Plan while I was very busy working 2 departure gates. I was forced to hand that aircraft off to the Center on a local; short range IFR clearance and it caused the Center to have to fix our problem. Flight Data needs to be staffed with qualified controllers/FLM's who know how to use the system.
TRACON Controller reported a TCAS RA event; relating it to the failure of the Flight Data Controller being able to adjust information in the FDIO.