Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 1.2
Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Workload; Troubleshooting
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors; Procedure
Visibility was poor. I was working clearance and CIC when I was relieved and instructed to split LC2 and Helicopters from the Shift-CIC. LC1's traffic was building and requested the split. I took the position with an aircraft doing a touch and go; an aircraft in the upwind; one in the downwind; and one on final. There was an aircraft requesting to depart and stay in the pattern holding short of RWY 16L. I was also given LC3 (Helicopters) with a helicopter inbound from the east and a helicopter southbound crossing 101. When Aircraft X was on base just north of the VA hospital I instructed Aircraft Y that they were #2; but corrected myself to say they were #3 following traffic at the VA. Aircraft Y responded with their call sign. Helicopter from the east was instructed to hold over Stagg/405. While this was happening; Aircraft Z [a helicopter] called for a departure and Aircraft A [also a helicopter]. I advised Aircraft A it was going to be ten minutes. I was trying to figure out the sequence of the aircraft in the upwind and crosswind. Aircraft A then questioned the time. I told all helicopters to standby. I observed an aircraft on base moving towards the final traffic and immediately gave Aircraft X a go around as there was traffic off their left. A helicopter checked on Stone Canyon inbound and there was a flight of two helicopters that checked on with a request. At this time one of the aircraft said something about the traffic in their vicinity and another response was that we were told number two following traffic over the VOR. I responded correcting them that I changed them to number 3. I was not sure which aircraft it was that was cutting off Aircraft X so I issued the go around to them. I requested to not have helicopters as it was distracting and causing frequency congestion. I spent the next few minutes just trying to confirm which aircraft was which. Only 1 aircraft was tagged up when I received the briefing. Remove helicopters from being combined with the LC's except for when there is light traffic. The chipping in of helicopters added to the complexity and was distracting to the point that an aircraft turned an early base and was not caught earlier.
VNY Tower Controller reported of working Local Control and helicopters combined became inundated with helicopter traffic and did not know who was following who to the airport. Reporter sent two aircraft around due to traffic and recommended that helicopters be split from Local position during busy times.