A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/857389
NATCA and the Agency have agreed to move forward wi th raising the LGB radar site. This was thought to be one of the easier solutions to put in place, but the Agency cannot seem to get out of their own way to do so. Current target date for completion according to Western Service Area is October to November 2017. Meanwhile the SAAT team has been working on a Wide Area M ultilateration (WAM) design. Agency and Stadium proponents have completed negotiations over funding and announced that a shared cost agreement allowing WAM deployment to move forward. WAM in the LA Basin area will be in three phases: update nine existing ADS - B r adios to support WAM via Virtual Radar (CLT configuration), add eight new r adios to supplement the WAM coverage (still using VR), then update STARS to allow for WAM in Native format ( one second update rate). The first phase of WAM is moving along rapidly and planned to start operational use August 10, 2017. The first phase r adio updates are complet e. Contractor te sting and tuning are complete. An Air Traffic flight inspection was completed July 17. Feedback from SCT has been positive. SAAT has been analyzing Potomac (PCT) Fusion i ssues for potential solutions. The facility has been struggling wit h a number of issues related to problem rada r sites or a lack of coverage. Radar analysis is confirming the benefit of adding Quantico radar to PCT as well as reducing obstructions in the area. A long - awaited estimate for adding identified radars to CLE has finally been delivered. SBS Article 114 agreed to a path forward to add multiple radar s to CLE in support of Fusion. A presentation to the facility was completed July 12. N90 discussions point to a planned transit ion to Fusion in January 2018. Supp ort activities could start in November 2017 or earlier. Vehicle ADS - B: 1170 v ehicles equipped at 18 a irports. WEATHER Matt Tucker (ZTL) is NATCA's Article 114 Represen tative for Weather. His update for the membership is below. NextGen Weather Processo r (NWP) and Common Support Services - Weather (CSS - WX) Development continues for both pr ograms. CSS - WX has delivered it ' s hardware to the Tech Center and plans to start Factory Acceptance testing in January followed by key site installs at ZTL and ZLC nex t summer. NWP will follow in the summer of 2019. Key site surveys are under way and a major decision on location of both system central nodes. The nodes will be located either at the NEMC or the ARTCC basement. This decision should be made in the next 45 days. There is no impact to air traffic on the location but engineering services will be doing the site prep work along with tech ops. NWP is delaying it ' s install at the Tech Center due to Dell is releasing a new line of high end processors and servers a nd the program is looking to avoid having to go back and upgrade the Tech Center and academy systems when deployment starts.