A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/736089
Aaron Rose met with Matt Morter (SCT Staff Specialist) during a visit to SoCal TRACON on September 7th. Discussions included ongoing radar issues and ways to address through ad aptation. All adaptation avenues have been investigated and we are now waiting for SBS and the SAATS team to raise the Long Beach radar, which is the first step to an improved radar presentation. The current ASR9 radars on the n orth and s outh side of LAX a re blocked by obstructions that include hotels and office buildings. Flying Cloud T ower received a new radar display this month tha t has improved safety tenfold. From the tower perspective it was very hard to ascertain which runway aircraft are lined up on approach. With the addition of the new radar display , controllers can quickly look using the display in Final Monitor Aid (FMA) m ode to distinguish the runway. Thank you to all involve d in ensuring our NAS is safe. It is little things like this that NAT CA works so hard for , and we will continue to work h ard day in and day out. TAMR Systems Engineering Update submitted by Kyle Ness (M98) The TAMR program continues to deploy STARS to the ARTS IIE facilities and tech refresh the Legacy STARS sites. STARS s oftware remains integral to advancing the waterfall of facilities in the NAS. Currently the emphasis is to refine the plan to get the Legacy STARS sites on the R4 "bridge" build. The incremental nature of software deployment means that these sties must fir st come up on R27 and then transition to R4 "bridge." We are currently working with the tech center to deliver the latest versions of R27 and R4 so we can effectively plan upcoming IOCs. Currently RDU and D21 are scheduled as the next sites to install R4 a nd related hardware updates. Thanks to our NATCA representatives at RDU, D21 , and the keysites (MIA, MAF, SAF, ORF, DAB, I90) for their effort s to deploy the vital software. Earlier this month Bill Spence (NATCA TAMR training lead) and I worked over two d ays with Raytheon and the Agency to modify and complete the R4 delta - briefing package. This comprehensive 200 - slide PowerPoint details adaptable and non - adaptable functionality in addition to back - up systems. This package will go out with our NATCA SMEs to assist Legacy STARS sites as they coordinate their training. NATCA activity at the tech center during Sep tember focused on three events: PTR working group, CTD OT&E , and software testing. NATCA SMEs from PHL, D10, K90, TPA , and SCT participated in these events and a big thanks goes to them for their hard work away from home. S6R3d testing is ongoing and we are hopeful for an eventual release that will bring several software fixes to the ARTS 3E TRACONs that transitioned to STARS. Software planning contin ues to operate on a tightrope. The deployment schedule is tight , and near - term disruptions pose significant impacts to the larger schedule. In addition , external clients and future deployment schedule monitoring is a weekly effort. The R6 "merge" developme nt (this build will combine all STARS baselines into one) is ongoing and build content planning is approaching the final stages. TAMR Deployment Lead report submitted Scott Robillard (K90) STARS d eployment activity included tech refresh of G1/G2 to STARS G4 and G4 Elite also ARTS IIE rep lacements with STARS G4 ELITE. STARS systems are being deployed weekly without incurring delays, while minimizing outages or impacting the flying public.