A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/876590
Terminal Fusion: The Fusion Focus Group continues to track and resolve facility reported issues with Fusion. These a re largely issues with the underlying surveillance infrastructure, and experts from all fields are available to assist. Please report any issues to your OSF and our NATCA SBS group for assistance. It is critical that actual data is recorded for evaluation and resolution. NATCA remains very focused on the Common Terminal Digitizer (CTD) effort necessary to incorporate numerous ASR - 8 sites into STARS Elite as well as Fusion. The CTD schedule is the driver for TAMR Elite rollout and therefore the drive for th e follow up ADS - B/Fusion rollout. SCT issues continue to be a large focus. NATCA SBS is heavily involved in the Surveillance Automation Analysis Team (SAAT), which is examining long - term alternatives to help improve overall surveillance in the SCT airspac e. Their efforts are aimed at mitigating tracking issues in the LA Basin, including the effect of the new s tadium near LAX. NATCA and the Agency have agreed to move forward with raising the LGB radar site. This was thought to be one of the easier solutio ns 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. SCT is also awaiting agreements with the military to ensure availability and performance of the North Island radar. Adding this additional surveillance source shows promise for tracking issues around SAN airport. 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 (1 second update rate). The first phase of WAM achieved an IOC on August 10. Feedback from SCT personnel has been very p ositive. WAM has been promoted to the highest priority in sort cells. Analysis of formerly identified tracking issues with radar showed much improvement with WAM implemented. Feedback from NATCA SCT has been very positive. Former issues seen frequently in the LA Basin area have been greatly reduced by WAM. This first Phase of WAM at SCT is a limited configuration of r adio s tations; this makes it vulnerable to outages due to limited overlapping r adio coverage. The system has shown also some vulnerability t o reflection on the surface of LAX. The second Phase of WAM will add more r adios with greater overlapping coverage and less vulnerability to outages or reflection issues. SAAT has been analyzing Potomac (PCT) Fusion issues for potential solutions. The fa cility has been struggling with a number of issues related to problem radar 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. Follow up discussions with PCT a re planned in early October.