NATCA Bookshelf

systems have transitioned to STARS. The scale of that project cannot be understated, and the 91 conversions would not have been successful without the support of NATCA TAMR SMES and local NATCA at each and every site. Additionally, Boise (BOI) successfully transitioned from the legacy STARS G2 system to G4 ELITE on Sept. 20. Des Moines (DSM) IOC is scheduled to upgrade to G4 ELITE on Oct. 17. Lastly, during the month of September, Santa Fe (SAF), Dubuque (DBQ) and Redding (RDD) successfully transitioned from ARTS 1E/STARS LITE to remote towers off neighboring TRACONs, respectively, Albuquerque, Cedar Rapids, and NCT. Converting these towers from stand-alone systems to remotes off host TRACONs brings several complexities and recognition goes to the controllers, OSF, ERAM, and Tech Ops personnel who made these IOCs successful. NATCA SMEs Hugh Wyckoff (TLH) and Richard Thomas (GEG) participated in a Common Terminal Digitizer (CTD) user evaluation Sept. 17 at the Tech Center. The purpose of the event was to evaluate the effectiveness of a CTD software change designed to reduce Anomalous Propagation produced by the ASR-8. Utilizing an algorithm called Slow Clutter Canceler (SCC) with "larger cell AP" detection processing, the results of this software change showed a 99% reduction in AP with very little reduction to the presentation of actual precipitation. During the User Evaluation, NATCA and AJV-7 were shown recorded data of AP and weather events with and without the AP mitigation algorithm operating in the system as a side by side comparison. This playback data came from three different CTD sites (TLH, LCH and HUF) and showed a fair representation of AP and weather events to allow an assessment of the performance and limitations of the new AP algorithm. The results of the event were briefed to the TAMR Article 114 group and the stakeholders agreed to close PTR-173 that documented the AP issue. The TAMR Program Office conducts a Systems Engineering Summit each quarter to exchange ideas and information related to the systems that interface with terminal automation both in the present and in the future. The summit attendees are mostly engineers, vendors, and program office personnel who rarely have the opportunity to experience Air Traffic Control in an operational environment so the organizers asked if Mr. Ness could give a brief presentation on Air Traffic Control from the controller perspective. Focusing on terminal operations, I provided an overview of tower and TRACON operational positions and the tasks those controllers routinely execute on a daily basis. The feedback was very positive and largely achieved the goal of articulating how the systems these people design or deliver are used by controllers in the NAS. Mr. Ness attended the Article 114 Rep meeting prior to CFS, and the FacRep meeting the same day. A brief presentation was given to the group that highlighted upcoming STARS software changes of interest to controllers, the new operating system coming in 2022 and standardization activity. Reports of STARS problems especially with keyboards any ideas for STARS improvements are always welcome.

• Cover
• SAFETY AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT
• RUNWAY SAFETY
• Bridget Singratanakul (Gee) (DFW) is NATCA's Runway Safety Action Team (RSAT) Rep. She also serves as the Article 114 Rep to the Runway Status Lights (RWSL) Program. Her report is below:
• Runway Status Lights (RWSL) -
• BOS -
• o Phase 2 - Lighting computer replaced. JAI was scheduled for August 2018, and ORD for September 2019.
• o Phase 4 - Planned IOC date was June 2019. All testing checked out well, however there was still more construction work being completed on the airfield. The system is online, but the additional arrays were not available until June.