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Pbi controller alleges radar map shifts up to 180 degrees with no known time table for correction or resolution.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 579562 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200304 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pbi.airport |
| State Reference | FL |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 18 controller time certified in position1 : 3 |
| ASRS Report | 579562 |
| Events | |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Navigational Facility ATC Human Performance FAA |
| Primary Problem | Navigational Facility |
Narrative:
For at least the past 2 weeks, numerous complaints about the radar maps shifting have been made to air traffic management and to airways facilities. I personally have witnessed maps shifting on all scopes and on the 'a' scope, the map turns 90 degrees and 180 degrees from normal. Apparently, this problem is not going to be idented and/or fixed in the near future. This is a safety issue at pbi. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised that he 'usually' observes approximately a 1/16 inch map shift followed by an immediate return, within 1 radar sweep. Not only does the radar tag move, but also electronic displayed boundaries. Mapping fixes and final approach course alignments. FAA and military technicians have researched these anomalies and have been unable to resolve the condition. The reporter advised that pbi is scheduled to replace their ASR-8 with an ASR-11 within the next 30 days. This system change has been reported as 'the fix' for this problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PBI CTLR ALLEGES RADAR MAP SHIFTS UP TO 180 DEGS WITH NO KNOWN TIME TABLE FOR CORRECTION OR RESOLUTION.
Narrative: FOR AT LEAST THE PAST 2 WKS, NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE RADAR MAPS SHIFTING HAVE BEEN MADE TO AIR TFC MGMNT AND TO AIRWAYS FACILITIES. I PERSONALLY HAVE WITNESSED MAPS SHIFTING ON ALL SCOPES AND ON THE 'A' SCOPE, THE MAP TURNS 90 DEGS AND 180 DEGS FROM NORMAL. APPARENTLY, THIS PROB IS NOT GOING TO BE IDENTED AND/OR FIXED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AT PBI. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED THAT HE 'USUALLY' OBSERVES APPROX A 1/16 INCH MAP SHIFT FOLLOWED BY AN IMMEDIATE RETURN, WITHIN 1 RADAR SWEEP. NOT ONLY DOES THE RADAR TAG MOVE, BUT ALSO ELECTRONIC DISPLAYED BOUNDARIES. MAPPING FIXES AND FINAL APCH COURSE ALIGNMENTS. FAA AND MIL TECHNICIANS HAVE RESEARCHED THESE ANOMALIES AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE CONDITION. THE RPTR ADVISED THAT PBI IS SCHEDULED TO REPLACE THEIR ASR-8 WITH AN ASR-11 WITHIN THE NEXT 30 DAYS. THIS SYS CHANGE HAS BEEN RPTED AS 'THE FIX' FOR THIS PROB.
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.