NATCA Bookshelf

System Technical Reports Working Group (STRWG) Stakeholders recently approved two proposals to improve display of quick look regions during position consolidations and a false alarm indication that can appear when aircraft climb extremely fast. Program Trouble Report Working Group (PTRWG) The August meeting was very productive. Stakeholders reviewed six PTRs on the watch list, extended two, closed three, and moved one to build planning. Stakeholders also reviewed several PTRs that were already ranked (PTRs related to Geographic Restriction Areas, ADS-B indicators, default settings for training displays and tracking) and adjusted their priority, based on recent developments. Several other unranked PTRs were discussed and moved into rankings. Because of NATCA's presence and input to the PTRWG, the PTR rankings are having a positive result shown by the PTRs that have been chosen for software building content. NATCA- represented controllers will continue to see fixes and improvements important to them because their voice is being heard by other PTRWG stakeholders. Ness requested several PTRs for closure for the September meeting that are no longer needed. Minimum Safe Altitude Warning and Conflict Alert Board The board recently approved a waiver for MSAW processing at Aspen, Colorado, for the upcoming transition to STARS in September. Due to the mountainous terrain and the unique descent profile of Aspen instrument approaches, existing MSAW adaptation standards will generate unwanted low altitude alarms. The intent of the wavier is to reduce nuisance alarms by extending adapted monitor volumes that will apply to both arrivals and departures. Ness has been working with FAA Human Factors to categorize air traffic events in accordance with the ongoing MSAW/CA controller reaction time study. Human factors analysts identified several LA/CA cases that were difficult to classify without knowledge of air traffic rules and procedures or controller responsibilities. Working with other FAA Human Factors air traffic consultants, several questionable cases that were at risk of being unclassified will now be included in the dataset which in turn will bolster the sample size of the study. TAMR Deployment and Common Terminal Digitizer (CTD) submitted by Jim VanZee (GRR) NAS-wide deployment of STARS continues to successfully achieve its goals with NATCA as an integral part of the process. With the new hardware/software capability to convert ASR-8 Analog radar feeds to digital (Common Terminal Digitizer), we have now converted four key-site facilities from ARTS to STARS and have agreed to continue deploying the new system into operational use at all remaining ASR-8 equipped facilities. Our NATCA team also continues its strong collaborative efforts with all stakeholders in the deployment process. They do an outstanding job in routinely acting in a liaison capacity, between Air Traffic at the facility level, and the National Program Office, to address and resolve

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