Narrative:

A total ARTS iie failure occurred on both the pensacola and whiting dual sensors. I was actively controling 9 aircraft. Fortunately, they were all VFR at the time and the WX was good VMC. Had conditions been different, this could have been catastrophic. Our facility has been experiencing radar/ARTS/beacon outages, at what I personally consider an alarming rate. My suggestions for a fix action would be: 1) if ARTS iie and our hardware would support it a 'freeze patch.' 2) a thorough investigation into what is causing these problems. 3) replacement of the antiquated equipment we work with. Callback conversation with a pns specialist revealed the following information: the specialist advised that pns has recently been converted into a dual site, dual sensor radar approach control facility. Pns has an ASR-8 system, and has incorporated the ASR-11 from the naval station, approximately 15 mi away. The complete ARTS system is a 'iie.' the FAA local ARTS technician is primarily an ARTS III specialist. Whenever system modifications or system updates are required, the entire ARTS iie system must be 'taken down' for the upgrades. Occasionally, the specialist advised, 'glitches' occur, which need to be corrected. These corrections also require downtime. The specialist advised that some controllers consider these upgrade and repair downtime actions as unacceptable. During the last yr, the specialist advised, the TRACON has been through a substantial refurbishment, causing further disruptions to the controller work environment. (Multiple callback attempts to both rptrs without response.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PNS CTLR CONCERNED WITH ARTS IIE AND BEACON FAILURES AT AN 'ALARMING RATE.' CTLR PROVIDES 'FIX' RECOMMENDATIONS.

Narrative: A TOTAL ARTS IIE FAILURE OCCURRED ON BOTH THE PENSACOLA AND WHITING DUAL SENSORS. I WAS ACTIVELY CTLING 9 ACFT. FORTUNATELY, THEY WERE ALL VFR AT THE TIME AND THE WX WAS GOOD VMC. HAD CONDITIONS BEEN DIFFERENT, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. OUR FACILITY HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING RADAR/ARTS/BEACON OUTAGES, AT WHAT I PERSONALLY CONSIDER AN ALARMING RATE. MY SUGGESTIONS FOR A FIX ACTION WOULD BE: 1) IF ARTS IIE AND OUR HARDWARE WOULD SUPPORT IT A 'FREEZE PATCH.' 2) A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT IS CAUSING THESE PROBS. 3) REPLACEMENT OF THE ANTIQUATED EQUIP WE WORK WITH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH A PNS SPECIALIST REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE SPECIALIST ADVISED THAT PNS HAS RECENTLY BEEN CONVERTED INTO A DUAL SITE, DUAL SENSOR RADAR APCH CTL FACILITY. PNS HAS AN ASR-8 SYS, AND HAS INCORPORATED THE ASR-11 FROM THE NAVAL STATION, APPROX 15 MI AWAY. THE COMPLETE ARTS SYS IS A 'IIE.' THE FAA LOCAL ARTS TECHNICIAN IS PRIMARILY AN ARTS III SPECIALIST. WHENEVER SYS MODIFICATIONS OR SYS UPDATES ARE REQUIRED, THE ENTIRE ARTS IIE SYS MUST BE 'TAKEN DOWN' FOR THE UPGRADES. OCCASIONALLY, THE SPECIALIST ADVISED, 'GLITCHES' OCCUR, WHICH NEED TO BE CORRECTED. THESE CORRECTIONS ALSO REQUIRE DOWNTIME. THE SPECIALIST ADVISED THAT SOME CTLRS CONSIDER THESE UPGRADE AND REPAIR DOWNTIME ACTIONS AS UNACCEPTABLE. DURING THE LAST YR, THE SPECIALIST ADVISED, THE TRACON HAS BEEN THROUGH A SUBSTANTIAL REFURBISHMENT, CAUSING FURTHER DISRUPTIONS TO THE CTLR WORK ENVIRONMENT. (MULTIPLE CALLBACK ATTEMPTS TO BOTH RPTRS WITHOUT RESPONSE.)

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.