Narrative:

Dulles airport was in a south operation. We were in the process of going to a north operation. There was 3 departures left to go at runway 19L. A B757 had just departed. The developmental, that I was training, told a BA31 to taxi into position and hold. The pilot said 'roger.' 5 seconds later the pilot said, 'should we wait for the arrival first?' we looked up at the d-brite and there was a limited data block 1 mi north of runway 19L. I immediately said 'affirmative.' I then went to the ARTS keyboard and entered 'north enter.' the full data block appeared, showing the arrival's call sign, type aircraft, and other information. A transmission was made to the arrival, that he was cleared to land. No response. I then went to north arrival (north) and asked him to switch the aircraft to my frequency. He said there was no reply. The pilot rolled down the runway. I then said 'turn right next taxiway and contact ground control.' he acknowledged. Then business as usual. The very same automation problem happened the very next day. The only differences were that the final scope was open and the pilot called us on a 4 mi final. That allowed us to enter F enter on the keyboard. After discussing this incident with other controllers I found out this has been going on for several months. I don't know if any of this is documented, but I will also be filling out an automation discrepancy form along with an unsatisfactory condition report. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the problem has not been resolved, but it is being worked on and indicated that all of the controllers are aware of it. Reporter stated that the problem occurs periodically. Reporter admitted his lack of awareness and indicated he had not seen the falcon.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE FLC OF A FALCON JET DID NOT CALL THE TWR FOR A LNDG CLRNC. THE LCL CTLR POS DID NOT OBSERVE THE NON STANDARD DISPLAY OF THE ACFT'S ARTS DATA TAG AS A POS SYMBOL (LETTER) VICE THE NORMAL FULL DATA BLOCK AND ATTEMPTED TO PUT A BA31 IN POS ON THE SAME RWY. THE FLC OF THE BA31 CALLED ATTN TO THE FALCON ON FINAL AND REMAINED CLR OF THE RWY.

Narrative: DULLES ARPT WAS IN A S OP. WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF GOING TO A N OP. THERE WAS 3 DEPS LEFT TO GO AT RWY 19L. A B757 HAD JUST DEPARTED. THE DEVELOPMENTAL, THAT I WAS TRAINING, TOLD A BA31 TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD. THE PLT SAID 'ROGER.' 5 SECONDS LATER THE PLT SAID, 'SHOULD WE WAIT FOR THE ARR FIRST?' WE LOOKED UP AT THE D-BRITE AND THERE WAS A LIMITED DATA BLOCK 1 MI N OF RWY 19L. I IMMEDIATELY SAID 'AFFIRMATIVE.' I THEN WENT TO THE ARTS KEYBOARD AND ENTERED 'N ENTER.' THE FULL DATA BLOCK APPEARED, SHOWING THE ARR'S CALL SIGN, TYPE ACFT, AND OTHER INFO. A XMISSION WAS MADE TO THE ARR, THAT HE WAS CLRED TO LAND. NO RESPONSE. I THEN WENT TO N ARR (N) AND ASKED HIM TO SWITCH THE ACFT TO MY FREQ. HE SAID THERE WAS NO REPLY. THE PLT ROLLED DOWN THE RWY. I THEN SAID 'TURN R NEXT TXWY AND CONTACT GND CTL.' HE ACKNOWLEDGED. THEN BUSINESS AS USUAL. THE VERY SAME AUTOMATION PROB HAPPENED THE VERY NEXT DAY. THE ONLY DIFFERENCES WERE THAT THE FINAL SCOPE WAS OPEN AND THE PLT CALLED US ON A 4 MI FINAL. THAT ALLOWED US TO ENTER F ENTER ON THE KEYBOARD. AFTER DISCUSSING THIS INCIDENT WITH OTHER CTLRS I FOUND OUT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THIS IS DOCUMENTED, BUT I WILL ALSO BE FILLING OUT AN AUTOMATION DISCREPANCY FORM ALONG WITH AN UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION RPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE PROB HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED, BUT IT IS BEING WORKED ON AND INDICATED THAT ALL OF THE CTLRS ARE AWARE OF IT. RPTR STATED THAT THE PROB OCCURS PERIODICALLY. RPTR ADMITTED HIS LACK OF AWARENESS AND INDICATED HE HAD NOT SEEN THE FALCON.

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.