NATCA Bookshelf

Bill Spence (BTV) completed the last R4 software briefing at Easton, Md. This completes a major undertaking, which included 98 facilities in just over a year. Mr. Rose has started the coordination to adapt more colors on terminal displays. In addition, coordinating the future use of QWERTY keyboards instead of ABC keyboards. Traverse (TVC) is the first STARS LITE, which will become a remote tower. The agency has made it a priority to transition all STARS LITE and ARTS 1E facilities into a full STARS facility. There will no longer be STARS LITE or ARTS 1E facilities in the NAS. Each facility will become a remote tower off a parent TRACON. Robert Faulkner (D01) is leading the NATCA TAMR team in this effort. Mr. Rose attended two TAMR hardware telcons and discussed the new Tower Display Monitors (TDM) and how to test. Also, the testing of new optical trackballs, which will replace the current model on STARS. This will make cleaning and maintenance procedures easier. Fewer failures throughout the NAS. Took part in Western and Central Service Area TAMR deployment telcons weekly, TVC STARS LITE kick-off telcon, System Technical Reports Working Group (STRWG), TAMR weekly PMO telcon, HUF IOC planning telcon, Moline post IOC telcon, TAMR Risk Board, Segment 2 NATCA telcons, and worked collaboration white paper for NATCA National. Mr. Rose attended the first week of the Terminal Spacing and Sequencing (TSAS) Early User Involvement (EUI) demo. Working with the professionals from the TSAS team was a pleasure. There were some issues during testing but the team is well on the way to producing a quality product. TSAS will be in R8 software and slated to be key sited at Phoenix TRACON in early 2019. Mr. Rose and Kyle Ness (M98) attended the Program Trouble Report Workgroup and a development and deployment meeting on Jan. 17 for the R8 software build to ensure STARS is ready to support TSAS. TAMR NATCA Training submitted by Ross Costa (RSW) In mid-December, Bill Spence and Ross Costa met in Florida to review and complete the transition of NATCA TAMR training. Both discussed a number of items that are currently being worked, including but not limited to, new tower training course, SPOT (Scenario Processing and Organization Tool), and current training briefings for TAMR IOC. During the briefing at PIA, Mr. Costa met with Raytheon and TAMR training to discuss how the training briefings generally run, including lessons learned. Additionally, discussed some items that are being worked by TAMR and the training plan for future software releases. Unfortunately, Mr. Costa was not able to meet the TAMR Training Management lead but planning on having a face-to-face in an upcoming meeting. A demonstration is being scheduled for Mr. Costa to observe SPOT. Contacts at Jacksonville Center will provide a capabilities demo and general overview. Briefings: PIA 1/10/2018 Upcoming briefing at JAN on 1/25 may be delayed due to the shutdown/post-shutdown situation.

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