A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/793416
Wor king with Tom Marynik (ZAB) on a common simulator for the terminal facilities as we prepare to transfer the STARS operating system sometime late in this decade. Tom's experience with the En Route version of AT Coach and his role in the rollout of ERAM ha ve been and will continue to be invaluable. Software & Engineering Report Submitted by Kyle Ness (M98) NATCA SMEs from NCT, M98, PHL, D10, MKE, A80, MDT, CLE , and ABE participated in software operational testing and evaluation over a three - week period at th e technical center in early February. This event was the first evaluation of the sizable R6 build and SMEs evaluated numerous improvements in addition testing to e xisting functionality such as: ATPA, radar tracking, multiple sectors, RECAT, ADSB, inter - fac ility operations, backup systems , and safety alerts. Test scripts can run up to 500 steps in length and our NATCA SMEs not only did a great job of putting the software through its paces, but also discovered some potential deficiencies, which need further e valuat ion . Potomac TRACON (PCT) recently declared ORD on the STARS system and through that process PCT identified their priority PTRs. NATCA systems engineering has been working with the STARS software planning board to assign these PTRs to upcoming buil ds and were successful in getting one item in a near term build just under budgetary deadlines. AT Coach PTRs requested by N90 were finalized and sent to contractor for impact assessment. Once complete, a development schedule can be established for site d elivery. In late January, it was discovered there was a software bug associated with conflict alert in a software build for legacy STARS sites using the R27 build. This bug had the potential to disrupt hardware upgrades at Detroit TRACON (D21) and Port Co lumbus (CMH). Software engineering quickly produced a solution and D21 successfully transitioned to their new system February 11 and CMH remains on schedule. STARS software stakeholders are currently crafting the capabilities for the spare knob controls a ssociated with the STARS display. Presumably, when the STARS display and controls were conceived, the intended use of these knobs would be assigned as the system matured. STARS deployment activities over the last few years has solidified controller perspec tive regarding the spare knobs, especially the request to adapt the Predicted Track Line (PTL) to these controls. NATCA systems engineering has identified several adaptable options for these controls so that sites can use them to their liking. Mr. Ness at tended the MSAW/CA board meeting at the technical center in Atlantic City in mid - February. Numerous initiatives were discussed to enhance safety alerts either by refining existing STARS adaptation or by implementing devices that reduce alarms when aircraft turn to final, level off , or are in close proximity to untracked aircraft. While these mechanisms are mostly conceptual in nature, they hold promise to deliver significant reduction of nuisance conflict alerts. NATCA is working to move these concepts off the drawing board and into development in conjunction with human factors and data gathering initiatives. STARS and Common Terminal Digitizer (CTD) Deployment Update Scott Robillard (K90)