Lit controller expressed concern regarding use of stars equipment in multi mode without required ope...

Attributes
ACN	665858
Time
Date	200507
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lit.airport
State Reference	AR
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 5 controller radar : 8 controller time certified in position1 : 1
ASRS Report	665858
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : lit.tracon

Narrative:

July/fri/2005 at xa:00 pm; a thunderstorm caused a power outage at lit approach. When the system came back on line; the primary radar was OTS. We have stars at lit and there is a feature that will allow the use of long range radar by using multi mode. The problem is; we have been operating stars with no procedures written. FAA order 7210.3 states procedures must be written for stars operation and specifically the use of multi mode. Stars has been in use at lit since may 2005. There are no procedures for multi use or simple stars use at all. Lit operated for 2 - 3 days in multi mode with no written procedures. This is an unsafe practice and must be addressed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIT CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING USE OF STARS EQUIP IN MULTI MODE WITHOUT REQUIRED OPS PROCS AS OUTLINED IN FAA ORDER 7210.3.

Narrative: JULY/FRI/2005 AT XA:00 PM; A TSTM CAUSED A POWER OUTAGE AT LIT APCH. WHEN THE SYSTEM CAME BACK ON LINE; THE PRIMARY RADAR WAS OTS. WE HAVE STARS AT LIT AND THERE IS A FEATURE THAT WILL ALLOW THE USE OF LONG RANGE RADAR BY USING MULTI MODE. THE PROB IS; WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING STARS WITH NO PROCS WRITTEN. FAA ORDER 7210.3 STATES PROCS MUST BE WRITTEN FOR STARS OP AND SPECIFICALLY THE USE OF MULTI MODE. STARS HAS BEEN IN USE AT LIT SINCE MAY 2005. THERE ARE NO PROCS FOR MULTI USE OR SIMPLE STARS USE AT ALL. LIT OPERATED FOR 2 - 3 DAYS IN MULTI MODE WITH NO WRITTEN PROCS. THIS IS AN UNSAFE PRACTICE AND MUST BE ADDRESSED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Lit controller expressed concern regarding use of stars equipment in multi mode without required operations procedures as outlined in FAA order 7210.3.