Narrative:

Lansing approach pointed out an aircraft off lansing, climbing wbound. The common boundary between lan and grr is also a center boundary between ZAU and ZOB. Due to this fact, en route code (transponder) assignments are often changed as the aircraft cross the boundary. When this occurs the aircraft data tag is dropped from the display at grr. The center controllers are not supposed to effect a code change prior to the aircraft entering their airspace. There is an addition to the 7110.65L, great lake region, air traffic division, supplement 1, that demands we continue to display the pointout tag at grr. Our automation technicians are unable to have our ARTS display the pointouts, even if the code is changed. There is a high degree of hazard associated with this situation. Event chain: situation/condition was discovered in practice. Corrective actions: have automation technicians at ZAU and ZOB get together and give us a patch to preclude the tag from dropping. Air traffic gets a 'can't' from automation. I personally think it is a 'won't.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GRR CTLR CONCERNED WITH INCORRECT APPLICATION OF A GREAT LAKE REGION AIR TFC DIVISION SUPPLEMENT. ZOB CHANGES BEACON CODE OF DEPARTING LAN ACFT WHICH AUTOMATICALLY DROPPED POINTOUT DATA TAGS OF ACFT CLB THROUGH GRR AIRSPACE.

Narrative: LANSING APCH POINTED OUT AN ACFT OFF LANSING, CLBING WBOUND. THE COMMON BOUNDARY BTWN LAN AND GRR IS ALSO A CTR BOUNDARY BTWN ZAU AND ZOB. DUE TO THIS FACT, ENRTE CODE (XPONDER) ASSIGNMENTS ARE OFTEN CHANGED AS THE ACFT CROSS THE BOUNDARY. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE ACFT DATA TAG IS DROPPED FROM THE DISPLAY AT GRR. THE CTR CTLRS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO EFFECT A CODE CHANGE PRIOR TO THE ACFT ENTERING THEIR AIRSPACE. THERE IS AN ADDITION TO THE 7110.65L, GREAT LAKE REGION, AIR TFC DIVISION, SUPPLEMENT 1, THAT DEMANDS WE CONTINUE TO DISPLAY THE POINTOUT TAG AT GRR. OUR AUTOMATION TECHNICIANS ARE UNABLE TO HAVE OUR ARTS DISPLAY THE POINTOUTS, EVEN IF THE CODE IS CHANGED. THERE IS A HIGH DEG OF HAZARD ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SIT. EVENT CHAIN: SIT/CONDITION WAS DISCOVERED IN PRACTICE. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: HAVE AUTOMATION TECHNICIANS AT ZAU AND ZOB GET TOGETHER AND GIVE US A PATCH TO PRECLUDE THE TAG FROM DROPPING. AIR TFC GETS A 'CAN'T' FROM AUTOMATION. I PERSONALLY THINK IT IS A 'WON'T.'

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.