Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Air Traffic Control Developmental
Confusion; Distraction; Human-Machine Interface; Troubleshooting; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure; Staffing
I was working Local at the Ground Control position because radar was working at the Local position as we did not have enough staffing to operate the TRACON. With radar working in the Tower they also had control of the D-Brite and it was zoomed out to 60 miles; making it useless for me.There were several aircraft in the local traffic pattern and conducting practice approaches; however the 3 involved were Aircraft X; Aircraft Z and Aircraft Y. Aircraft X was following and sequenced with Aircraft Z in left closed traffic for Runway 32. Aircraft Y was making a straight in to Runway 32 and I advised them they would be following Aircraft X and provided their location. I thought that there would be enough space to get both aircraft through before Aircraft Y arrival. When Aircraft X was about to turn base I looked to see how far out Aircraft Y was. With the D-Brite unusable; Aircraft Y being a white aircraft with clouds in the background and the approach end of Runway 32 being over 2 miles away; I was not able to locate them. I attempted to instruct Aircraft X to make a right turn back into the left downwind; as I had observed they had just started their base turn; but I transposed their call sign with Aircraft Z and the instruction was not able to be given in a timely manner. The Aircraft Y aircraft then asked where the traffic was they were following; when I advised them; they said that they believed the traffic was at a low level in front of and below them. I instructed Aircraft Y aircraft to fly a heading of 050 to turn to the northeast and away from the pattern traffic. I then had them enter an extended right downwind to follow traffic that was on an extended final.Aircraft X then advised they were conducting a go-around and were departing the airspace to the northwest and asked to turn left on course. Since they didn't take the runway they were then in a close proximity to Aircraft Z that they were following in the pattern. I advised them of the traffic that was in front of them; who they had been sequenced with multiple times; and asked if they could go to the right instead because Aircraft Z was turning left into the downwind. Aircraft X advised they had the traffic in sight and would make a slight right turn to clear the traffic before turning left on course.I would recommend that our facility be staffed to be able to have the TRACON open so when Tower gets busy they have full use of the D-Brite and all other tools that are not available to them when the TRACON is not open.
HUF Local Controller reported an unsafe situation due to the D-Brite being expanded to 60 miles for use by the Radar Controller.