A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/977826
A Fusion kickoff meeting, Air Traffic Cadre, and some limited Fusion observations took place the first week of April at San Juan CERAP (ZSU). Analysis of the observations resulted in a need for automation changes no t available for several months. The next planned event for ZSU is an Operational Suitability Demonstration the first week of June. Surveillance Portfolio Analysis Work Group Eric Labardini and James Keith (NATCA AJV - 7) have been working closely with the Agency's multifaceted analysis of post 20 20 radar infrastructure needs. The ADS - B business case was built on an assumption that today's robust radar infrastructure could be reduced once ADS - B becomes the predominant surveillance source. The Agency built their business case on an assumption that 100+ secondary radar sources could be removed througho ut the NAS. This causes concern in airspace that does not require ADS - B (many Class D or other Approach Controls). NATCA has been pointing toward another option, removing overlapping radar sources completely rather than harming operational capabilities nationwide. The SPA WG has developed a draft list of 18 can didate sites for full remov al. However, there are several that require more discussion and analysis. NATCA is working closely with the Agency on candidate sites. Another concern is the reliance on military radar sites to provide replacement coverage; these sites have historically ha d issue with availability and clutter. An SRM Panel was held August 1 - 3 to analyze the risks associated with partial or complete removal of radar systems in a post 20 20 environment. The conclusions of the Panel were that partial removal actually resulted in higher risks than complete removal. This assumes that complete removal would only occur where the effects were minimized by other overlapping radar sources nearby. An additional SRMD took place week of April 9 with Eric Labardini and James Keith parti cipating. There were no changes in the overall outcome of the first SRMP meeting. The Panel relayed that ATC services would need to remain identical from a high - leve l perspective. Only at the local level can determinations be made to compromise on today's coverage. Terminal Fusion The Fusion Focus Group continues to track and resolve facili ty reported issues with Fusion. These are largely issues with the underlying surveillance infrastructure, and experts from all fields are available to assist. Please re port any issues to your OSF and our NATCA SBS group for assistance. It is critical that actual data is recorded for evaluation and resolution. SCT issues continue to be a large focus. NATCA SBS is heavily involved in the Surveillance Automation Analysis T eam (SAAT) which is examining long term alternatives to help improve overall sur veillance in the SCT airspace. The result is a multi - faceted approach including WAM, raising LGB radar, introducing other nearby radar feeds, STARS software changes, and radar software changes. In addition, SAAT is focused on mitigating tracking issues in the LA Basin due to the construction of a new NFL stadium on final approach to LAX.