Narrative:

Cos ATCT is an ATC-8 facility. We have a great mix of air carrier; GA; and military style traffic. We received an updated radar system (ASR-11) late last yr. Unfortunately our displays and software were not updated to enable us to easily display all the WX information we now have the capability of displaying. When thunderstorms are in the area and we have the ASR-11 WX radar showing that there is all 6 levels of WX information available we can only display 2 levels of WX information at a time. So basically what this does is make the controller have to try and extrapolate where the other levels of WX are located and try not to turn aircraft into them. In other words; it will display the 2 levels of WX data you set up to display; but the rest of the display is blank as if there was no other WX in the area. The only way for this issue to be resolved is for the FAA to update our radar displays and software to be able to fully utilize the information that the ASR-11 is capable of providing. This would include newer digital displays capable of displaying multiple levels of WX information. Software capable of deciphering this enhanced WX information. Without these updates/enhancements the aircraft carrying the thousands upon thousands of flyers flying into and out of the colorado springs area are at risk.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COS CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING WX DISPLAY LIMITATION ON NEWLY OPERATIONAL ASR-11 EQUIP.

Narrative: COS ATCT IS AN ATC-8 FACILITY. WE HAVE A GREAT MIX OF ACR; GA; AND MIL STYLE TFC. WE RECEIVED AN UPDATED RADAR SYS (ASR-11) LATE LAST YR. UNFORTUNATELY OUR DISPLAYS AND SOFTWARE WERE NOT UPDATED TO ENABLE US TO EASILY DISPLAY ALL THE WX INFO WE NOW HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF DISPLAYING. WHEN TSTMS ARE IN THE AREA AND WE HAVE THE ASR-11 WX RADAR SHOWING THAT THERE IS ALL 6 LEVELS OF WX INFO AVAILABLE WE CAN ONLY DISPLAY 2 LEVELS OF WX INFO AT A TIME. SO BASICALLY WHAT THIS DOES IS MAKE THE CTLR HAVE TO TRY AND EXTRAPOLATE WHERE THE OTHER LEVELS OF WX ARE LOCATED AND TRY NOT TO TURN ACFT INTO THEM. IN OTHER WORDS; IT WILL DISPLAY THE 2 LEVELS OF WX DATA YOU SET UP TO DISPLAY; BUT THE REST OF THE DISPLAY IS BLANK AS IF THERE WAS NO OTHER WX IN THE AREA. THE ONLY WAY FOR THIS ISSUE TO BE RESOLVED IS FOR THE FAA TO UPDATE OUR RADAR DISPLAYS AND SOFTWARE TO BE ABLE TO FULLY UTILIZE THE INFO THAT THE ASR-11 IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING. THIS WOULD INCLUDE NEWER DIGITAL DISPLAYS CAPABLE OF DISPLAYING MULTIPLE LEVELS OF WX INFO. SOFTWARE CAPABLE OF DECIPHERING THIS ENHANCED WX INFO. WITHOUT THESE UPDATES/ENHANCEMENTS THE ACFT CARRYING THE THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF FLYERS FLYING INTO AND OUT OF THE COLORADO SPRINGS AREA ARE AT RISK.

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.