NATCA Bookshelf

41 I s s u e s N A T I O N A L A I R T R A F F I C C O N T R O L L E R S A S S O C I A T I O N | W W W . N AT C A . O R G N i W To d a y n Tier 2 Funding Priority – C o m m u n i c a t i o n s further emphasized the need for secure and robust NOTAMS infrastructure. n Airport Surface Detection Systems such as the Airport Surface Detection System Model X (ASDE-X) and Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC) are examples of runway safety enhancement tools that help prevent wrong surface landings. NATCA and the FAA have been working on the implementation and development of a new situational awareness tool can help address and mitigate runway incursions. ASDE-X and ASSC are fully deployed at 44 airports, but funding for these programs has expired and currently are in a sustainment-only posture. Additional funding is needed to expand existing systems and to develop new surface surveillance systems to deploy at airports that currently lack this type of technology. B u d g e t a r y S h o r t fa l l s P l a g u e M o d e r n i z a t i o n A n d I n f ra s t r u c t u re E f fo r t s Issue n Voice Over Internet protocol Communications Enterprise (VoICE), which is comprised of the program and new equipment that will replace the aging (physical) communications technology that controllers use to communicate with pilots and other air traffic facilities. The current equipment is outdated, is approaching end of lifecycle on multiple systems, and replacement parts are getting harder to acquire because the existing systems are no longer supported by their manufacturers. n Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) – to – Internet Protocol (IP) (TDM-to-IP), is the program that will upgrade all copper wiring infrastructure with fiber optic cable wiring. This program is critical because major U.S. telecommunications carriers have communicated their intention to discontinue current TDM-based services (supported by the current copper wiring) as early as this year. The FAA is highly dependent on these services to receive and transmit information at approximately 6,000 sites. Any discontinuation or disruption of TDM services without first transitioning to IP communication services would lead to potential safety risks and/ or delays in air traffic services. n Operational and Supportability Implementation System (OASIS II), is a critical piece of the communications system that is used by Flight Service Air Traffic Control Specialists at the 17 Flight Service Stations (FSS) throughout Alaska to provide weather briefing and flight planning services to general aviation pilots. OASIS II is beyond its end of lifecycle and is beginning to experience system failures; however, it must be maintained until a replacement system can be implemented. n Tier 3 Funding Priority – S u p p o r t To o l s i n Au to m a t i o n n Legacy weather systems must be maintained until the NextGen Weather Processor (NWP) can be implemented. NWP is a program that will consolidate multiple weather systems into one, while also incorporating new weather products. FAA facilities currently utilize several different systems that are beyond the "end of lifecycle" stage and replacement parts are becoming harder to acquire. Additionally, there have been multiple safety reports of issues related to legacy Information Display Systems (IDS) from FAA's ATC facilities. It is important that funding for legacy IDS be maintained until Enterprise Information Display Systems (E-IDS) can be deployed in approximately 2025-27. E-IDS will provide a wide variety of information to air traffic controllers such as current weather, airspace delegation, access to approach plates, NOTAMS, SIGMETS, flight route verification, and aircraft information, once deployment is complete. Implementing E-IDS would resolve these safety issues.

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