Narrative:

Recently, ZMA and ZJX changed who would be the host computer facility with orl approach with jax taking over. Since this change, whenever ZMA controllers hand off an aircraft to orl approach and the aircraft is cleared to a lower altitude than what is indicated in the data block, the conflict alert activates if another aircraft is in the area. This is quite distracting to the controllers and causes an extra effort to suppress conflict alert. The problem is conflict alert will start again and will continue for an extended length of time, or until the controller suppresses it. Conflict alert is a tool to help controllers, however, no tool should become a burden on the people using it. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter is a controller at ZMA and claims that conflict alert alarms occur frequently when aircraft are handed off to mco and the aircraft goes to a lower altitude than that indicated in the data block. Reporter states that these nuisance alarms started when the host facility for mco went from ZMA to ZJX. This effects both sector R67 and R22. Reporter estimates that it occurs about 30-50 times a day. There has been no loss of separation, but apparently, the computer sees less than 5 mi between targets even though the aircraft is in a terminal environment and only requires 3 mi. There is a way to suppress the alarm, but requires time that the controller may not have depending on the circumstances. Reporter filed a ucr, however, facility does not agree with him. He has also filed a complaint with the controller representative.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR STATES THAT NUISANCE CONFLICT ALERT ALARMS INCREASE CTLR WORKLOAD AND BECOME A BURDEN.

Narrative: RECENTLY, ZMA AND ZJX CHANGED WHO WOULD BE THE HOST COMPUTER FACILITY WITH ORL APCH WITH JAX TAKING OVER. SINCE THIS CHANGE, WHENEVER ZMA CTLRS HAND OFF AN ACFT TO ORL APCH AND THE ACFT IS CLRED TO A LOWER ALT THAN WHAT IS INDICATED IN THE DATA BLOCK, THE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATES IF ANOTHER ACFT IS IN THE AREA. THIS IS QUITE DISTRACTING TO THE CTLRS AND CAUSES AN EXTRA EFFORT TO SUPPRESS CONFLICT ALERT. THE PROB IS CONFLICT ALERT WILL START AGAIN AND WILL CONTINUE FOR AN EXTENDED LENGTH OF TIME, OR UNTIL THE CTLR SUPPRESSES IT. CONFLICT ALERT IS A TOOL TO HELP CTLRS, HOWEVER, NO TOOL SHOULD BECOME A BURDEN ON THE PEOPLE USING IT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR IS A CTLR AT ZMA AND CLAIMS THAT CONFLICT ALERT ALARMS OCCUR FREQUENTLY WHEN ACFT ARE HANDED OFF TO MCO AND THE ACFT GOES TO A LOWER ALT THAN THAT INDICATED IN THE DATA BLOCK. RPTR STATES THAT THESE NUISANCE ALARMS STARTED WHEN THE HOST FACILITY FOR MCO WENT FROM ZMA TO ZJX. THIS EFFECTS BOTH SECTOR R67 AND R22. RPTR ESTIMATES THAT IT OCCURS ABOUT 30-50 TIMES A DAY. THERE HAS BEEN NO LOSS OF SEPARATION, BUT APPARENTLY, THE COMPUTER SEES LESS THAN 5 MI BTWN TARGETS EVEN THOUGH THE ACFT IS IN A TERMINAL ENVIRONMENT AND ONLY REQUIRES 3 MI. THERE IS A WAY TO SUPPRESS THE ALARM, BUT REQUIRES TIME THAT THE CTLR MAY NOT HAVE DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES. RPTR FILED A UCR, HOWEVER, FACILITY DOES NOT AGREE WITH HIM. HE HAS ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE CTLR REPRESENTATIVE.

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.