NATCA Bookshelf

Matt Tucker (ZTL) is NATCA's Article 114 Representative for Weather. His update for the membership is below: Common Support Services-Weather (CSS-WX) CSS-WX started dry runs for Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) of the initial software prior to key site deployment. A number of issues have plagued the program of late. There have been a number of personnel changes and a new test director. The dry runs have not gone well, due to system stability issues. Also, a number of the test scripts that were being run did not test to requirements properly. So, due to these issues FAT has been pushed out two weeks. Once FAT is completed there will be a new set of tests run on a software patch that will be installed prior to key site installation in July. NextGen Weather Processor (NWP) NWP is in the middle of build 4 and conducted Functional Qualification Testing (FQT) for build 3 this month. The FQT went very well with very few issues. A lot of the tests will have to be rerun when the contractor adds all the design changes that the human factors group asked to be implemented last year. The program also is moving forward with early usability testing at the Tech Center, the plan is to bring in part of the HF team for a week a month and do some rapid prototyping and functionality test. The is approach should help get the system ready for FAT next year and will allow the start of the training package. Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) into Micro E-ARTS In September 2017, Hurricane Maria destroyed the NEXRAD on Puerto Rico. The CERAP has been without weather radar on M-EARTS since. With the help of Radar Operations Center and Harris it has been determined that using a comparable product from the TDWR can be used until the NEXRAD is replaced. A suitability test was conducted at Harris to determine what the capabilities would be and any shortcomings that may be present. The team gave the go ahead to deploy to San Juan. The system was scheduled to be installed the beginning of the week of March 12 and then a meteorological evaluation was to be conducted. Once the system is deemed usable the mosaic will be pushed to the controllers displays at San Juan. NATCA Safety and Tech Update Week of March 19, 2018 FLOW EVALUATION TEAM (FET) Tony Smith (DCC) is the Article 114 Representative to the Flow Evaluation Team (FET) for Collaborative Decision Making (CDM). His report is below. The CDM/FET subgroup is finally meeting again after months of cancellations due to budget uncertainties. Our next meeting will be a Human in the Loop (HITL) testing of the Integrated Departure Management (IDM) tool with NASA. That testing is being planned for March 20-21, 2018. This project is working on combining a controlled departure time to an airport (such as a GDP/AFP or CTOP) with a required time to arrive at a fix in order to blend in with the TBFM into the destination. The team will meet again at the end of April during the Spring CDM General Meeting in Memphis, Tenn. We hope to resume work on the possibilities with the Airborne Reroute (ABRR) and Pre-Departure Reroute (PDRR) capabilities and with the use of Mexican SWAP Routes.

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