Narrative:

There is an ongoing, continuous problem(south) at the florence ATCT, encompassing the beacon interrogation. ARTS iia, and periodic maintenance checks. First the beacon interrogator: most aircraft outside 25 NM from the radar site (especially northwest and north), go into 'coast', then a coast suspend status. To prevent an aircraft from entering into the coast suspend tab/list, most controllers place the data block(south) handoff status to a radar scope that is not being used (mainly the maintenance scope). This particular technique keeps the data block on the scope until a proper track is reestablished. Secondly, since flo ATCT has gotten the ARTS iia program, all departing aircraft that has their transponder on, anytime before departure, will acquire/tag up on the ground. This situation creates numerous problems for the controllers: first of which the aircraft must depart within 3 mins to be within 3 mins of when the computer showed it departed (when it tags up, it is automatically departed). Second, if the aircraft doesn't depart within about 5 mins, the aircraft's tag will drop out of the ARTS completely. Third, most controllers that observe an aircraft tag up on the ground, simply track suspend the aircraft and place the flight plan in a 'hold message' status via the fdio. Finally, there should be some national guidelines as to when the technicians can work on controllers' equipment (BRITE/ARTS/radar, etc).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROBLEM ARTS IIA AT FLO.

Narrative: THERE IS AN ONGOING, CONTINUOUS PROBLEM(S) AT THE FLORENCE ATCT, ENCOMPASSING THE BEACON INTERROGATION. ARTS IIA, AND PERIODIC MAINT CHKS. FIRST THE BEACON INTERROGATOR: MOST ACFT OUTSIDE 25 NM FROM THE RADAR SITE (ESPECIALLY NW AND N), GO INTO 'COAST', THEN A COAST SUSPEND STATUS. TO PREVENT AN ACFT FROM ENTERING INTO THE COAST SUSPEND TAB/LIST, MOST CTLRS PLACE THE DATA BLOCK(S) HDOF STATUS TO A RADAR SCOPE THAT IS NOT BEING USED (MAINLY THE MAINT SCOPE). THIS PARTICULAR TECHNIQUE KEEPS THE DATA BLOCK ON THE SCOPE UNTIL A PROPER TRACK IS REESTABLISHED. SECONDLY, SINCE FLO ATCT HAS GOTTEN THE ARTS IIA PROGRAM, ALL DEPARTING ACFT THAT HAS THEIR TRANSPONDER ON, ANYTIME BEFORE DEP, WILL ACQUIRE/TAG UP ON THE GND. THIS SITUATION CREATES NUMEROUS PROBLEMS FOR THE CTLRS: FIRST OF WHICH THE ACFT MUST DEPART WITHIN 3 MINS TO BE WITHIN 3 MINS OF WHEN THE COMPUTER SHOWED IT DEPARTED (WHEN IT TAGS UP, IT IS AUTOMATICALLY DEPARTED). SECOND, IF THE ACFT DOESN'T DEPART WITHIN ABOUT 5 MINS, THE ACFT'S TAG WILL DROP OUT OF THE ARTS COMPLETELY. THIRD, MOST CTLRS THAT OBSERVE AN ACFT TAG UP ON THE GND, SIMPLY TRACK SUSPEND THE ACFT AND PLACE THE FLT PLAN IN A 'HOLD MESSAGE' STATUS VIA THE FDIO. FINALLY, THERE SHOULD BE SOME NATIONAL GUIDELINES AS TO WHEN THE TECHNICIANS CAN WORK ON CTLRS' EQUIP (BRITE/ARTS/RADAR, ETC).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.