ATC equipment problem radar ASR-9 new software program.

Attributes
ACN	274509
Time
Date	199406
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stl
State Reference	MO
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl artcc : zan
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 15 controller supervisory : 1
ASRS Report	274509
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

T75 is equipped with ASR-9 radar and recently A306B software was installed. Persistent problems with target loss and data tag coast/drop continues to plague the safety of the NAS. Procedures for simultaneous ILS/lda operation have been changed to accommodate the limitations of the ASR-9 radar. However, the procedural changes do not completely eliminate the target loss and coasting problems. Any aircraft that comes in close proximity to aircraft on the final, whether it be an aircraft for the parallel final, an overflt, or traffic below the final, still causes momentary target loss. This is an unacceptable situation during simultaneous approachs because constant monitoring of the targets cannot be accomplished as required. Controllers have grown accustomed to the problem and tend to overlook it. At the request of union local, FAA management removed the A306 software this date to find a solution as to why full data blocks are changing to limited data blocks after center accepts an automated handoff, as well as a few other problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR ASR-9 NEW SOFTWARE PROGRAM.

Narrative: T75 IS EQUIPPED WITH ASR-9 RADAR AND RECENTLY A306B SOFTWARE WAS INSTALLED. PERSISTENT PROBS WITH TARGET LOSS AND DATA TAG COAST/DROP CONTINUES TO PLAGUE THE SAFETY OF THE NAS. PROCS FOR SIMULTANEOUS ILS/LDA OP HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO ACCOMMODATE THE LIMITATIONS OF THE ASR-9 RADAR. HOWEVER, THE PROCEDURAL CHANGES DO NOT COMPLETELY ELIMINATE THE TARGET LOSS AND COASTING PROBS. ANY ACFT THAT COMES IN CLOSE PROX TO ACFT ON THE FINAL, WHETHER IT BE AN ACFT FOR THE PARALLEL FINAL, AN OVERFLT, OR TFC BELOW THE FINAL, STILL CAUSES MOMENTARY TARGET LOSS. THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE SIT DURING SIMULTANEOUS APCHS BECAUSE CONSTANT MONITORING OF THE TARGETS CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED AS REQUIRED. CTLRS HAVE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO THE PROB AND TEND TO OVERLOOK IT. AT THE REQUEST OF UNION LCL, FAA MGMNT REMOVED THE A306 SOFTWARE THIS DATE TO FIND A SOLUTION AS TO WHY FULL DATA BLOCKS ARE CHANGING TO LIMITED DATA BLOCKS AFTER CTR ACCEPTS AN AUTOMATED HDOF, AS WELL AS A FEW OTHER PROBS.

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.