TRACON controller complaint about maintenance taking the ASR9 radar OTS for routine maintenance and ...

Attributes
ACN	350187
Time
Date	199610
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : okc
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : okc
Route In Use	enroute airway : okc
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	350187
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

The ASR9 radar site was taken off-line for routine maintenance. This happens often on sunday afternoons. It is not uncommon to run 50-80 operations an hour during the time the radar is taken down. We are placed on cenrap, a center radar located 30 mi northeast of tulsa. This results in poor radar coverage at the altitudes that most of the VFR aircraft operate at. I have seen us have to use non radar separation with IFR aircraft at 8000 ft and 9000 ft. Since there is a time lag between when the target is scanned by cenrap and by the time we get the target update, there is very real safety issue, considering we are working numerous VFR aircraft in close proximity to each other. (We sequence to rvs, one of the busiest VFR towers in the nation.) we have asked to have the radar maintenance done before XA00 am on sundays, when traffic is usually very light. Management doesn't support this and airways facilities won't do it either. Once again, 2 airplanes will have to hit before anything is done.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON CTLR COMPLAINT ABOUT MAINT TAKING THE ASR9 RADAR OTS FOR ROUTINE MAINT AND CAUSING THE TRACON TO USE CENRAP DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.

Narrative: THE ASR9 RADAR SITE WAS TAKEN OFF-LINE FOR ROUTINE MAINT. THIS HAPPENS OFTEN ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO RUN 50-80 OPS AN HR DURING THE TIME THE RADAR IS TAKEN DOWN. WE ARE PLACED ON CENRAP, A CTR RADAR LOCATED 30 MI NE OF TULSA. THIS RESULTS IN POOR RADAR COVERAGE AT THE ALTS THAT MOST OF THE VFR ACFT OPERATE AT. I HAVE SEEN US HAVE TO USE NON RADAR SEPARATION WITH IFR ACFT AT 8000 FT AND 9000 FT. SINCE THERE IS A TIME LAG BTWN WHEN THE TARGET IS SCANNED BY CENRAP AND BY THE TIME WE GET THE TARGET UPDATE, THERE IS VERY REAL SAFETY ISSUE, CONSIDERING WE ARE WORKING NUMEROUS VFR ACFT IN CLOSE PROX TO EACH OTHER. (WE SEQUENCE TO RVS, ONE OF THE BUSIEST VFR TWRS IN THE NATION.) WE HAVE ASKED TO HAVE THE RADAR MAINT DONE BEFORE XA00 AM ON SUNDAYS, WHEN TFC IS USUALLY VERY LIGHT. MGMNT DOESN'T SUPPORT THIS AND AIRWAYS FACILITIES WON'T DO IT EITHER. ONCE AGAIN, 2 AIRPLANES WILL HAVE TO HIT BEFORE ANYTHING IS DONE.

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.

TRACON controller complaint about maintenance taking the ASR9 radar OTS for routine maintenance and causing the TRACON to use cenrap during this time period.