A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/778317
36 of 93 sites have transitioned from ARTS IIe to STARS with the bulk of new sites in 2017 and 2018. The SMEs for Segment Two, lead by Scott Robillard, have done amazing work in coordinating and collaborating with the TAMR program office. The amount of o nsite work in a ddition to telcons is enormous. From the initial site survey to completion of ORD is almost a 12 - month process. Most issues within Segment Two revolve around equipment issues and sp ace at these small facilities. To date we have not encoun tered anything our SMEs h ave not been able to overcome. Phase One: This portion of TAMR is the tech refresh of processors, displays, and software at previous STARS facilities. NATCA helps with training and lighting issues as well as coordination with ATMs and Fac Reps on timelines and installs. We have completed 8 of 47 facilities to date and work continues for completion of 10 more calendar year 2017. This is in addition to the Segment Two work that runs i n parallel with the same SMEs. The workload that we are accomplishing with collaboration is unbelievable. The biggest threat to the program to date is the Co mmon Terminal Digitizer (CTD). Scott Robillard (K90) is heading up this piece with assistance from Joe Yannone (NATCA Engineer). To date t here has been an improvement and a test/evaluation will occur at the end of January 2017. Below, in Robillard's update , you will find the results fro m the first test of the month. The CTD is not a proven product and if it does not work will impact the co mpletion of the TAMR waterfall, which will have a ripple effe ct upon oth er NextGen programs. I had advised the agency to not purchase the full order of CTDs but they did not take the advice of either the Program Manager or myself. The CTD Program has alr eady paid for the full complement. We have a contingency plan in place that will call for an order of ne w TDX2000 terminal digitizers. The TDX is already operational withi n the NAS and a proven product. Unfortunately for the FAA the company that produce s the TDX did not win the new contract. It will be a funding fig ht if this avenue is required. Main Display Monitor (MDM) is in use at all new STARS site. We also are replacing old Sony 2K displays with the MDM at tech refresh sites that will be upgra ding to TAMR. In the beginning we were having trouble with these monitors blacking out and fla shing o n the operations floor. This was happening at new and old sites. The main reason was because STARS sends a digital signal that was being converted to an alog then back to a digital signal to displ ay the picture on the new MDMs. We have been testing at both TPA and S46 over the last four months a straight digital feed and results are much improved. Testing will be completed and a report written by the end of Feb 2017. AT Coach was purchased by the agency as the simulation platform for STARS in the late 1990's. On the terminal side of the house it has not been up dated in years, 6 to be exact. Only until recently have improvements been made to the way it functions. Early 2016 was the first time in 6 years any real improvements were introduced. The problem we are encountering now is facilities have accepted AT Coach and are using it because there is no other optio n; the precedence has been set. N90 has a sked for certain improvements to the capabilities of AT Coach, and it appears the agency has agreed to fund this work. Over the next couple of months improvements will be rolled out to help all facilities, not just N90. Sticking to simulation, the En rout e side has spent millions of dollars on state of the art products. SPOT that the FAA own s and upgrades to AT Coach. Bill Spence (BTV), Tom Marynik (ZAB) and I are pushing for a STARS vers ion of SPOT and a new AT Coach. Talks are ongoing with the agency.