A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/775152
Testing for both a new operating system (V2.0.2) and new software bu ild (3.6.1) was completed last week at the technical center in Atlantic City. The NIDS build keysite will be at SCT during the week of Jan . 23 and, assuming that no issues are uncovered in the field, a national release date is planned for two weeks later . The OS is tentatively scheduled for a mid March release. While the fixes bundled into 3.6.1 are designed for the issues encountered in larger networks everyone will get a more refined software product and their syste ms should run more efficiently. The present IDS Replacement product, NIDS, is reaching the end of its waterfall but that does not mean that support will disappear. The program office will still provide assistance and staffing for encountered problems. A few of the facilities (networks) be ing focused on presently are PHL, L30, I90, SCT, and P80. These networks have specific issues that are both challenging and very important learning experiences for the future of IDSR. NEXTGEN DISTANCE MEASURING EQUIPMENT (NG DME) PROGRAM Samed Rizvi (PCT ) is the NG DME National Representative. Mr Rizvi forwarded the information below for the membership. Attended weekly NextGen DME status and (SEWG) Steering Engineering Workgroup meetings. NextGen DME's goal is to not reduce or negatively chan ge service anywhere in the NAS. There have not yet been any issues to come up that have been identified to negatively impact the a ir traffic control workforce. NextGen DME is committed to providing Class A coverage from DME/DME (no IRU required) by 2020 and DME/DME coverage expanded for NSG 1 airports (Top 15 busiest large airports) and NSG 2 airports (60 large an d medium hub airports) by 2025. A critical DME is a DME facility that, when not available, results in navigation service which is not sufficient for DME/DM E/IRU operations along all or portions of a specific route or procedure. The team discussed that NextGen DME will not be abl e to eliminate all critical DME s in the NAS but will see k to significantly reduce them. The specific sites that will change are har d to define and changing. There will not be a final commitment on which sites get developed/implemented, and/or discontinued until the (FID) Final Investment Decision. Part of the NextGen DME solution is the potential use of Canadian, NPU (not for p ublic use), and military sites. There is on going coordination and discussion on the possibi lity of using the stated sites. The team determined without the use of the stated sites, 14 new airport sites would be required from n ot being able to use NPU sites. Next Gen DM E will require new DME classes. EL DME s (Expanded Low) will provi de 130nm coverage up to 18,000. EH (Expanded High) will provide 130nm coverage up to 45,000 and 100nm coverage from 45,000 to 60,000.