A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/1217493
The ADS-B equipage mandate went into effect relatively smoothly for STARS. Controllers are encouraged to report anomalies observed on the STARS display that could be traced back to STARS software or ADS-B equipment. A two-day PTRWG meeting was held Jan. 15-16. The mission of the PTRWG is to review and rank STARS software trouble reports and improvements by priority and importance. Terminal Second Level Engineering (TSLE), Raytheon, and the TAMR PMO use the ranking list to identify specific PTRs for requirements review, software development, and eventual build content. NATCA's voice in this forum is crucial to highlighting the most important problems affecting controllers in the field and noting software improvements that will have real value. The intent of the January two-day meeting was to review dated PTRs for possible closure or re-ranking as well as usual ranking of new PTRs. Several PTRs were closed due to obsolescence or because they are remedied by other software changes. Application Interface Gateway (AIG) interfaces between STARS and external clients to provide data to those clients without time consuming extraction methods – NOP, PRM, AMASS, etc. There are several PTRs to update AIG messages and add more data fields. A good example is adding data to the AIG300 message which addresses Conflict Alert and MSAW. Some of the missing fields are time of alert, which algorithm processed the alert, type of alert (predicted, projected, current), and area type. Another example is adding keyboard entries to the AIG510 message. Adding keyboard and display entries would go a long way to helping staff specialists troubleshoot controller trouble reports on a local level. Enhancing the AIG message gives clients like those that process CA/MSAW a more realistic representation of the operation. Working with STARS stakeholder, Mark Olson who represents AJM-2113, we are uniting the AIG PTRs to a singular report and will rank appropriately. The MSAW/CA Board proposed language to the Standards and Guidelines that address an adaptation parameter that governs MSAW retention when a track is handed off. Documentation will state: "Nominally set to "N." Retain MSAW Inhibit may be set to "Y" with documentation from the ATC facility indicating they are aware of how it functions. The Software Planning Board (SPB) concurred on additional content for the STARS S8.R2 build. The PTRs included address issues such as radar reflection problems, improved controller notification when safety functions are inhibited systemwide (MSAW, CA, MCI), minimizing nuisance failed radar status in the Systems Status Area, and allowing the controller to 'undo' mistaken aircraft type entries. Jason Rose, NATCA TAMR Systems Engineering Lead - During January, Mr. Rose has participated in the TAMR Hardware Systems Engineering Meetings, Software Planning Board, HEWG, TAMR Article 114 Meetings, and STARS Strategic Planning.