TRACON radar controller assumed a radar control position and during scope alignment check found that...

Narrative:

Assigned by area supervisor in charge (asic) to work the CCC position. After receiving briefing and assuming position, I began required scope alignment checks (in accordance with FAA handbook 7110.65J and handbook 7210.3M). I discovered that the scope had no primary targets displayed whatsoever. There were beacon targets and ARTS appeared normal. I told the supervisor that 'I had to get off this scope' and went to the adjacent position (previously not in use). Maintenance technicians discovered the reason for the loss of primary targets was due to a failure of the 'video terminator.' a senior maintenance technician told me that a failure of this component was very rare, and concurred with my belief that the radar displays (known as 'fdads') here at the ny TRACON were becoming critically unstable. After being relieved from the position, the supervisor asked to speak to me about what had occurred. He questioned my judgement as to whether or not it was really necessary for me to 'abandon' the display with no primaries, and whether perhaps it might have been better to stick with that display using only secondary returns. I took out the 7210.3M and showed him the appropriate chapters and paragraphs that deal with radar scope checks and alignment to verify for him that I was not 'making this up.' while he agreed that I did the checks correctly, he pointed out that there are no mandated provisions for leaving the position. FAA handbook 7110.65J, 5-1-1 states 'provide radar service only if you are personally satisfied that the radar presentation and equipment performance is adequate for the service being provided.' my supervisor said that doesn't mean I can just change position at will. Under our contract, he could force me to remain on that position, overriding my objections. I am deeply concerned that pressure is being brought to bear on the supervisors to keep any problems with our fdads as quiet as possible, and that this is because of problems the FAA is having with its 'stars' program.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON RADAR CTLR ASSUMED A RADAR CTL POS AND DURING SCOPE ALIGNMENT CHK FOUND THAT THERE WERE NO PRIMARY TARGETS DISPLAYED. CTLR MOVED TO ANOTHER SCOPE AND WAS QUESTIONED LATER BY A SUPVR WHEY HE MADE THE MOVE AND IF IT WAS NECESSARY.

Narrative: ASSIGNED BY AREA SUPVR IN CHARGE (ASIC) TO WORK THE CCC POS. AFTER RECEIVING BRIEFING AND ASSUMING POS, I BEGAN REQUIRED SCOPE ALIGNMENT CHKS (IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAA HANDBOOK 7110.65J AND HANDBOOK 7210.3M). I DISCOVERED THAT THE SCOPE HAD NO PRIMARY TARGETS DISPLAYED WHATSOEVER. THERE WERE BEACON TARGETS AND ARTS APPEARED NORMAL. I TOLD THE SUPVR THAT 'I HAD TO GET OFF THIS SCOPE' AND WENT TO THE ADJACENT POS (PREVIOUSLY NOT IN USE). MAINT TECHNICIANS DISCOVERED THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF PRIMARY TARGETS WAS DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE 'VIDEO TERMINATOR.' A SENIOR MAINT TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT A FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT WAS VERY RARE, AND CONCURRED WITH MY BELIEF THAT THE RADAR DISPLAYS (KNOWN AS 'FDADS') HERE AT THE NY TRACON WERE BECOMING CRITICALLY UNSTABLE. AFTER BEING RELIEVED FROM THE POS, THE SUPVR ASKED TO SPEAK TO ME ABOUT WHAT HAD OCCURRED. HE QUESTIONED MY JUDGEMENT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS REALLY NECESSARY FOR ME TO 'ABANDON' THE DISPLAY WITH NO PRIMARIES, AND WHETHER PERHAPS IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN BETTER TO STICK WITH THAT DISPLAY USING ONLY SECONDARY RETURNS. I TOOK OUT THE 7210.3M AND SHOWED HIM THE APPROPRIATE CHAPTERS AND PARAGRAPHS THAT DEAL WITH RADAR SCOPE CHKS AND ALIGNMENT TO VERIFY FOR HIM THAT I WAS NOT 'MAKING THIS UP.' WHILE HE AGREED THAT I DID THE CHKS CORRECTLY, HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE NO MANDATED PROVISIONS FOR LEAVING THE POS. FAA HANDBOOK 7110.65J, 5-1-1 STATES 'PROVIDE RADAR SVC ONLY IF YOU ARE PERSONALLY SATISFIED THAT THE RADAR PRESENTATION AND EQUIP PERFORMANCE IS ADEQUATE FOR THE SVC BEING PROVIDED.' MY SUPVR SAID THAT DOESN'T MEAN I CAN JUST CHANGE POS AT WILL. UNDER OUR CONTRACT, HE COULD FORCE ME TO REMAIN ON THAT POS, OVERRIDING MY OBJECTIONS. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT PRESSURE IS BEING BROUGHT TO BEAR ON THE SUPVRS TO KEEP ANY PROBS WITH OUR FDADS AS QUIET AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT THIS IS BECAUSE OF PROBS THE FAA IS HAVING WITH ITS 'STARS' PROGRAM.

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.

Attributes
ACN	382629
Time
Date	199710
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : n90
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : private
Experience	controller radar : 7 flight time total : 450
ASRS Report	382629
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

TRACON radar controller assumed a radar control position and during scope alignment check found that there were no primary targets displayed. Controller moved to another scope and was questioned later by a supervisor whey he made the move and if it was necessary.