A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/1131016
June 3-9, 2019 Update TERMINAL AUTOMATION MODERNIZATION REPLACEMENT (TAMR) Aaron Rose (NCT) is the TAMR Article 114 Representative for NATCA. His report is below: Wilmington, N.C. (ILM), was the last transition from ARTS 2E to STARS in the entire National Airspace System (NAS). On the morning of May 21, ILM transitioned without much fanfare but TAMR NATCA SMEs, facility SMEs, and the TAMR PO were in attendance to ensure the transition was a success. Aaron Rose (NCT), Ross Costa (RSW), Richard Thomas (GEG), and Mike Smith (SCT) were in attendance for this monumental day in the NAS. Kalamazoo TRACON assumed approach control services for Grand Rapids and Muskegon on May 29. Only five more ARTS 2E facilities are left in the NAS but they will be decommissioned vice transitioned to a new system. Flint, Lansing, and Saginaw also moved its approach control services into Kalamazoo on June 12. Akron-Canton and Mansfield approaches will move into Cleveland TRACON in September 2019. At that point there will no longer be any ARTS 2E facilities within FAA controlled airspace. R90 has reported keyboard lock-ups over the last nine months, Second Level Engineering (TSLE) and Raytheon are working on the issue. Reports out of Allentown, Dallas, and Northern California TRACON have just started to come in about keyboard lock-ups. Full G4 systems can simply change to EFSL and back to FSL to reset the keyboard but ELITE sites do not have the ability. NATCATAMR reps have made this issue front and center with both the TAMR Program Office and TSLE. Mr. Rose has let it be known that there has to be an underlying issue which prevents the keyboard from working and has requested a full investigation. Work arounds such as switching between back-up systems or replacing keyboards is not sufficient. Mr. Rose is awaiting a detailed plan to be presented to ensure the frequency of such occurrences diminishes or halts altogether. Mr. Rose attended the last week of R8 software testing in Atlantic City, N.J., in which it was discovered a type two discrepancy report about FMA map brightness. There are multiple facilities utilizing FMA and without the ability to adjust the brightness of maps it is deemed unusable. R8 drop 7 software will be tested in June which we are being told will correct this issue. In the first week of June, there was another trip to Raytheon for a "playdate" on upcoming software (R10). Jason Rose (D01), Mike Sanders (SCT), Jon Bealles (A80), and Aaron Rose (NCT) were in attendance. Jimmie White (PHL) was also in attendance representing the NATCA Terminal CHI team. Items we previewed included, Wrong Airport Landing Alert Notice and Airport Runway Verification (ARV), which alerts the controller that an aircraft is lined up for the wrong surface. In addition, we tested new software which will enable a Center to handoff a departure from a TRACON back to the same TRACON without changing route of flight. Formation Flight ATPA processing is now a reality in R10 software which was also tested. In order to ensure it works at all times it was decided to add a mile in the front and back of the formation or two miles if two formations are involved. ARTS 3E weather colors were also