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Pbi controller concerned with on-airport transponder testing that impacts arring and deping aircraft TCAS equipment.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 509010 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200104 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pbi.airport |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 15 controller time certified in position1 : 8 |
| ASRS Report | 509010 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft ATC Human Performance Airport |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
Testing transponders at pbi airport is interfering with the radar as well as causing TCAS alerts to aircraft. Testing is done at two FBO's on the airport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that this is a frequent practice within the last year from an on airport maintenance facility. The mode-C testing causes a false mode C altitude to be displayed on the TRACON's ASR-8 ARTS iie, and the towers d-brite radar. Altitude's displayed vary from 200 to 18,000 ft. Local controller has received some complaints from TCAS equipped aircraft deping runway 9L. When testing, the aircraft's TCAS alerts to the tested mode-C altitude. Tower management has discussed this problem with the two FBO's, but apparently without resolution. The testing facility's have occasionally called for testing notification, but it is usually during the noontime traffic rush. Although denied, the testing takes place regardless.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PBI CTLR CONCERNED WITH ON-ARPT TRANSPONDER TESTING THAT IMPACTS ARRING AND DEPING ACFT TCAS EQUIP.
Narrative: TESTING TRANSPONDERS AT PBI ARPT IS INTERFERING WITH THE RADAR AS WELL AS CAUSING TCAS ALERTS TO ACFT. TESTING IS DONE AT TWO FBO'S ON THE ARPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT PRACTICE WITHIN THE LAST YEAR FROM AN ON ARPT MAINT FAC. THE MODE-C TESTING CAUSES A FALSE MODE C ALT TO BE DISPLAYED ON THE TRACON'S ASR-8 ARTS IIE, AND THE TWRS D-BRITE RADAR. ALT'S DISPLAYED VARY FROM 200 TO 18,000 FT. LCL CTLR HAS RECEIVED SOME COMPLAINTS FROM TCAS EQUIPPED ACFT DEPING RWY 9L. WHEN TESTING, THE ACFT'S TCAS ALERTS TO THE TESTED MODE-C ALT. TOWER MGMNT HAS DISCUSSED THIS PROB WITH THE TWO FBO'S, BUT APPARENTLY WITHOUT RESOLUTION. THE TESTING FAC'S HAVE OCCASIONALLY CALLED FOR TESTING NOTIFICATION, BUT IT IS USUALLY DURING THE NOONTIME TFC RUSH. ALTHOUGH DENIED, THE TESTING TAKES PLACE REGARDLESS.
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.