Reporter alleges there are problems with the new ctas metering revision. Some information is inaccur...

Narrative:

The new ctas metering program is providing inaccurate information to controllers. Meter times do not freeze into the list in a timely manner. Outer fix and inner fix times are not realistic based on flying times. Once times are frozen, on occasion the list continues to ripple. On this date, the time for an air carrier did not freeze until 15 mi from the outer meter fix, did not have a corresponding low altitude or inner fix time, based on flight time and distance, which cause the controllers to not delay the aircraft because of confusion. Several other aircraft during this time period also had late meter time freeze or no time at all. This is not an isolated event. Since the new software upgrade to ctas, this has been an ongoing problem. This version is unreliable and should be removed from service. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated they did not have the same problems with the previous version of the ctas metering program. Reporter is unaware of any action to remove or correct the problems associated with the new revision.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ALLEGES THERE ARE PROBS WITH THE NEW CTAS METERING REVISION. SOME INFO IS INACCURATE, SOME ACFT ARE NOT IN THE METER LIST, UNREALISTIC METER TIMES BTWN OUTER AND INNER FIXES.

Narrative: THE NEW CTAS METERING PROGRAM IS PROVIDING INACCURATE INFO TO CTLRS. METER TIMES DO NOT FREEZE INTO THE LIST IN A TIMELY MANNER. OUTER FIX AND INNER FIX TIMES ARE NOT REALISTIC BASED ON FLYING TIMES. ONCE TIMES ARE FROZEN, ON OCCASION THE LIST CONTINUES TO RIPPLE. ON THIS DATE, THE TIME FOR AN ACR DID NOT FREEZE UNTIL 15 MI FROM THE OUTER METER FIX, DID NOT HAVE A CORRESPONDING LOW ALT OR INNER FIX TIME, BASED ON FLT TIME AND DISTANCE, WHICH CAUSE THE CTLRS TO NOT DELAY THE ACFT BECAUSE OF CONFUSION. SEVERAL OTHER ACFT DURING THIS TIME PERIOD ALSO HAD LATE METER TIME FREEZE OR NO TIME AT ALL. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED EVENT. SINCE THE NEW SOFTWARE UPGRADE TO CTAS, THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROB. THIS VERSION IS UNRELIABLE AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM SVC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THEY DID NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBS WITH THE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE CTAS METERING PROGRAM. RPTR IS UNAWARE OF ANY ACTION TO REMOVE OR CORRECT THE PROBS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEW REVISION.

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	382647
Time
Date	199710
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zfw
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	382647
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Reporter alleges there are problems with the new ctas metering revision. Some information is inaccurate, some aircraft are not in the meter list, unrealistic meter times between outer and inner fixes.