Narrative:

The sikorsky was approaching ZZZ via the ILS xx victor. After they broke out of the overcast layer; the pilot requested to transition to taxiway delta. I approved the request and gave taxi instructions for the GA ramp. As the helicopter approached the taxiway; the asde-X triggered a go-around alert; for wrong surface landing. I determined that the safest course of action was to allow the helicopter to land; as it was following the instructions I had given and the only reason for the go around was a limitation in the asde-X software. The software only recognizes the aircraft type helo as a type allowed to land on a taxiway; any other aircraft type will trigger the alert. The asde-X logic needs to modified so that helicopter types which are recognized by stars are recognized by asde as safe to land on a taxiway. Helo is not recognized by stars or atpa (automated terminal proximity alert) and is otherwise useless to the controller. I forgot to change the type in the scratch pad prior to authorizing the transition to taxiway delta. This extra workload is necessary only because of the limitations of the software; it serves no other purpose and creates high potential for unnecessary go-arounds. As I understand it; by allowing the aircraft to land; I am in violation of the rules regarding asde-X alerts. But in my professional opinion; sending the helicopter around would have been needless and unsafe. In addition; I am unclear on how such instructions could be issued in practice. Must I instruct the helicopter to climb to an altitude where the radar can re-acquire the tag; modify the tag while the aircraft hovers; then re-issue the landing instructions? The automation needs to be fixed; or controllers need to be given the authority to ignore a taxiway landing alert at their discretion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Tower Controller reported that the ASDE-X triggered a go around due to the helicopter not being recognized by the software.

Narrative: The Sikorsky was approaching ZZZ via the ILS XX Victor. After they broke out of the overcast layer; the pilot requested to transition to Taxiway Delta. I approved the request and gave taxi instructions for the GA ramp. As the helicopter approached the taxiway; the ASDE-X triggered a go-around alert; for wrong surface landing. I determined that the safest course of action was to allow the helicopter to land; as it was following the instructions I had given and the only reason for the go around was a limitation in the ASDE-X software. The software only recognizes the aircraft type Helo as a type allowed to land on a taxiway; any other aircraft type will trigger the alert. The ASDE-X logic needs to modified so that helicopter types which are recognized by STARS are recognized by ASDE as safe to land on a taxiway. Helo is not recognized by STARS or ATPA (Automated Terminal Proximity Alert) and is otherwise useless to the controller. I forgot to change the type in the scratch pad prior to authorizing the transition to Taxiway Delta. This extra workload is necessary only because of the limitations of the software; it serves no other purpose and creates high potential for unnecessary go-arounds. As I understand it; by allowing the aircraft to land; I am in violation of the rules regarding ASDE-X alerts. But in my professional opinion; sending the helicopter around would have been needless and unsafe. In addition; I am unclear on how such instructions could be issued in practice. Must I instruct the helicopter to climb to an altitude where the radar can re-acquire the tag; modify the tag while the aircraft hovers; then re-issue the landing instructions? The automation needs to be fixed; or controllers need to be given the authority to ignore a taxiway landing alert at their discretion.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.