Narrative:

A new piece of equipment was installed over the pomona radar scope (our only 24-hour/7-day a week position). It is called 'ctas,' and is an offshoot of the failed 'pfast' program. The device is an LCD screen approximately 15 X 15 and displays all arrival traffic to lax. Our area, and three others it was installed in, do not sequence these aircraft. The device cannot be programmed to display aircraft to our arrival airports. It has no use to us. It is distracting, and even when turned to the lowest brightness level, it is like a search light in our darkened radar room. Management says it may not be turned off. This smells of a political decision. It is distracting, and therefore unsafe. The overwhelming number of controllers polled informally are against it (except in the lax arrival area, where it is useful) and want it turned off/removed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised that the union was renegotiating equipment installation and location with management. He thought that the initial location of this equipment was negotiated to be at the supervisor's desk, that those interested in its functionality, could monitor it there without encumbering any other controller. One of these units is located in each operational area, but only useable for, and functional at the lax arrival sequence control positions. The controller was advised that funding had been halted for equipment development for other operational control areas.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SCT CTLR CONCERNED WITH INSTALLATION OF NEW EQUIPMENT INTO OPERATIONAL AREA WHICH CAN NOT BE UTILIZED AND IS A DISTR.

Narrative: A NEW PIECE OF EQUIPMENT WAS INSTALLED OVER THE POMONA RADAR SCOPE (OUR ONLY 24-HOUR/7-DAY A WEEK POSITION). IT IS CALLED 'CTAS,' AND IS AN OFFSHOOT OF THE FAILED 'PFAST' PROGRAM. THE DEVICE IS AN LCD SCREEN APPROXIMATELY 15 X 15 AND DISPLAYS ALL ARRIVAL TRAFFIC TO LAX. OUR AREA, AND THREE OTHERS IT WAS INSTALLED IN, DO NOT SEQUENCE THESE AIRCRAFT. THE DEVICE CANNOT BE PROGRAMMED TO DISPLAY AIRCRAFT TO OUR ARRIVAL AIRPORTS. IT HAS NO USE TO US. IT IS DISTRACTING, AND EVEN WHEN TURNED TO THE LOWEST BRIGHTNESS LEVEL, IT IS LIKE A SEARCH LIGHT IN OUR DARKENED RADAR ROOM. MANAGEMENT SAYS IT MAY NOT BE TURNED OFF. THIS SMELLS OF A POLITICAL DECISION. IT IS DISTRACTING, AND THEREFORE UNSAFE. THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF CONTROLLERS POLLED INFORMALLY ARE AGAINST IT (EXCEPT IN THE LAX ARRIVAL AREA, WHERE IT IS USEFUL) AND WANT IT TURNED OFF/REMOVED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: RPTR ADVISED THAT THE UNION WAS RENEGOTIATING EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION AND LOCATION WITH MGMNT. HE THOUGHT THAT THE INITIAL LOCATION OF THIS EQUIPMENT WAS NEGOTIATED TO BE AT THE SUPVR'S DESK, THAT THOSE INTERESTED IN ITS FUNCTIONALITY, COULD MONITOR IT THERE WITHOUT ENCUMBERING ANY OTHER CTLR. ONE OF THESE UNITS IS LOCATED IN EACH OPERATIONAL AREA, BUT ONLY USEABLE FOR, AND FUNCTIONAL AT THE LAX ARR SEQUENCE CTL POSITIONS. THE CTLR WAS ADVISED THAT FUNDING HAD BEEN HALTED FOR EQUIPMENT DEVELOPMENT FOR OTHER OPERATIONAL CTL AREAS.

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.