Narrative:

The problem is undue delays for traffic when a dsp program is in place. Ewr arrs needed a 20 mi in-trail spacing through N90 airspace (where I work). Dsp is supposed to work so that ewr arrs will arrive over the hfd VOR in sequence. Dsp never works. This morning 4 ewr arrs were over hfd VOR at the same time. Now it's up to the radar controller to slow (sometimes up to 50-60 KTS slower than normal airspeed) the aircraft and vector them to get the mi in-trail. By XA40Z, 4 commuters were in N90 airspace. These 4 aircraft need 20 mi spacing. At XA50Z, commuter X, a bdl departure was asked for release. The tmu gave this aircraft a departure time of XA50Z. The 4 previous aircraft were still in N90 airspace. Commuter X needed to be further delayed. This is a common occurrence in N90 airspace. What the problem is I do not know. I do know that when dsp fails it causes undue work and coordination for the controller. It causes undue delays to the aircraft. Because of the location of the hfd VOR in N90 airspace, you cannot hold these aircraft because of the volume of aircraft crossing the hfd VOR. What happens is the aircraft are slowed, vectored in-trail and sent on their way. Because those aircraft are not put into holding they are never written down as a delay. The pilots of these aircraft do not need this. The passenger are unduly delayed and could miss connections. I do not work with tmu. N90 does not have a tmc position so I do not have any solutions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR CLAIMS THAT THE DSP PROGRAM (COMPUTERIZED METERING PROGRAM) USED TO SEQUENCE ACFT OVER A FIX IN ORDER TO REDUCE DELAYS DOES NOT PROVIDE THE DESIRED RESULTS.

Narrative: THE PROB IS UNDUE DELAYS FOR TFC WHEN A DSP PROGRAM IS IN PLACE. EWR ARRS NEEDED A 20 MI IN-TRAIL SPACING THROUGH N90 AIRSPACE (WHERE I WORK). DSP IS SUPPOSED TO WORK SO THAT EWR ARRS WILL ARRIVE OVER THE HFD VOR IN SEQUENCE. DSP NEVER WORKS. THIS MORNING 4 EWR ARRS WERE OVER HFD VOR AT THE SAME TIME. NOW IT'S UP TO THE RADAR CTLR TO SLOW (SOMETIMES UP TO 50-60 KTS SLOWER THAN NORMAL AIRSPD) THE ACFT AND VECTOR THEM TO GET THE MI IN-TRAIL. BY XA40Z, 4 COMMUTERS WERE IN N90 AIRSPACE. THESE 4 ACFT NEED 20 MI SPACING. AT XA50Z, COMMUTER X, A BDL DEP WAS ASKED FOR RELEASE. THE TMU GAVE THIS ACFT A DEP TIME OF XA50Z. THE 4 PREVIOUS ACFT WERE STILL IN N90 AIRSPACE. COMMUTER X NEEDED TO BE FURTHER DELAYED. THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN N90 AIRSPACE. WHAT THE PROB IS I DO NOT KNOW. I DO KNOW THAT WHEN DSP FAILS IT CAUSES UNDUE WORK AND COORD FOR THE CTLR. IT CAUSES UNDUE DELAYS TO THE ACFT. BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE HFD VOR IN N90 AIRSPACE, YOU CANNOT HOLD THESE ACFT BECAUSE OF THE VOLUME OF ACFT XING THE HFD VOR. WHAT HAPPENS IS THE ACFT ARE SLOWED, VECTORED IN-TRAIL AND SENT ON THEIR WAY. BECAUSE THOSE ACFT ARE NOT PUT INTO HOLDING THEY ARE NEVER WRITTEN DOWN AS A DELAY. THE PLTS OF THESE ACFT DO NOT NEED THIS. THE PAX ARE UNDULY DELAYED AND COULD MISS CONNECTIONS. I DO NOT WORK WITH TMU. N90 DOES NOT HAVE A TMC POS SO I DO NOT HAVE ANY SOLUTIONS.

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.