VOR MINIMUM OPERATING NETWORK (MON)
John Vogelsang (P31) is the Article 114 Representative on the VOR MON project. His
update is below.
There has been a lot of discussion about what to do with the HIWAS system when a
VOR that has that capability is slated for decommissioning. Right now we are on hold as
to what to do until the safety panel meets to determine the future of HIWAS sometime
after the first of the year. I will attend a mitigation meeting at Chicago Center at the end
of January to look at our options for that area. Things should remain pretty quiet with our
program through the holidays.
The following VORs are in various stages of the NR process:
• BML-Berlin, N.H.
• UIM-Quitman, Texas
WAKE TURBULENCE
John Murdock (PHL) is the Article 114 Representative to the Wake Turbulence Office for
NATCA. His update for the week is below.
During the last week of November, NATCA and AJV 8 visited the Southern California
Wake Recat facilities and conducted a post implementation survey of RECAT 2.0
appendix A. We received feedback from the workforce that pilots are confused with the
wake turbulence separation requirements and why the standards can be different from
facility to facility. The workforce also does not understand why there are 4 different
separation standards in the NAS; 7110.65, Wake RECAT 1.5, Wake RECAT 2.0
appendix A and B. NATCA is supportive of a Consolidated Wake Turbulence Separation
Standard being developed in collaboration with NATCA, AJV and AJT.
A SRM panel is scheduled for the second week in January 2018 to review the proposed
Consolidated Wake Turbulence standards. Regardless of the outcome of the panel, it
appears the Agency will implement Wake Recat 2.0 Appendix B at DTW during the first
quarter of 2018. During a telcon with AJV8 and AJT, I expressed my concerns with
having different wake turbulence separation standards in the NAS and that continuing to
implement Wake RECAT has negative consequences.
