Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 5
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Procedure; Human Factors
I was working a GA VFR overflight who needed a point-out to LC; from south of FWA to GWB. LC restricted my VFR to 3500 feet and approved the point-out. Shortly after; when my VFR was about 4 NM SE of FWA; a flight of A10's checked on and had departed runway 14. I received the A10 strip as they were tagging up right in front of my VFR and the strip said the A10's were issued runway heading and 4000 feet by LC. I immediately issued the A10 traffic to the VFR overflight; stating that they were climbing through his altitude.Once the A10 flight checked on I issued the VFR traffic to them and gave them an expedited climb to get through the VFR's altitude. I continued to make traffic calls and to verify the altitude of the 4th A10. This was an unsafe situation caused by the issuance of the A10's altitude through the approved point-out and the LC seemed unaware of the situation and made no attempt to correct it. This was a newly certified local controller and occurrences like these seem to be happening with more frequency at our facility lately. As an On the Job Training Instructor (OJTI); I have seen increasing pressure from a few members of management to push trainees through positions before the OJTI feels it's appropriate. We seem to have quite a few trainees certified on positions that don't seem to 'get it' regarding simple and straight-forward procedures; such as not aiming someone directly at an approved point-out. The certification process needs to be efficient but not rushed through just because someone has hit their minimum hours. Trainees; this one included; have had major mistakes during training just the day before certification on that position; and sometimes; even hours prior. If management is just going to continue to certify everyone who reports to a facility; regardless of skill; knowledge or ability; these situations are going to continue to occur.
FWA Controller reported of an instance where he pointed out traffic to Local. Local gave an altitude restriction which the Controller accepted and had his aircraft maintain. Moments later a flight of four aircraft depart and are traffic for the point out aircraft; climbing above the limit the Local Controller set. The reporting Controller issued traffic to the point out traffic and separated it from the flight of four. Reporter went on to say the Local Controller was newly certified and that the facility is pushing people through training and certifying them at minimum time.