Narrative:

The asde/amass equipment at las needs to be fixed. There is an area at the approach end of runway 7R where aircraft continually drop out of safety logic. The problem is typically with smaller private or cpr aircraft. These type aircraft at times give no primary return or safety logic return. This spot on the airport has been problematic for pilots due to the large amount of concrete where 2 runways intersect (runways 7R and 1L). Many times pilots have become disoriented and have needed assistance by controllers to right themselves. The lack of coverage in this area and the fact that it's greater than 1 mi from the control tower makes it difficult if not impossible for controllers to effectively provide guidance to disoriented pilots. This area of the airport is adjacent to the parking ramp for GA fixed wing and helicopter operators. I believe that the asde radar has not been properly optimized for coverage due to the proximity of the parking area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LAS TWR CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING LACK OF SUFFICIENT ASDE/AMASS COVERAGE IN A CRITICAL AREA OF THE ARPT.

Narrative: THE ASDE/AMASS EQUIP AT LAS NEEDS TO BE FIXED. THERE IS AN AREA AT THE APCH END OF RWY 7R WHERE ACFT CONTINUALLY DROP OUT OF SAFETY LOGIC. THE PROB IS TYPICALLY WITH SMALLER PVT OR CPR ACFT. THESE TYPE ACFT AT TIMES GIVE NO PRIMARY RETURN OR SAFETY LOGIC RETURN. THIS SPOT ON THE ARPT HAS BEEN PROBLEMATIC FOR PLTS DUE TO THE LARGE AMOUNT OF CONCRETE WHERE 2 RWYS INTERSECT (RWYS 7R AND 1L). MANY TIMES PLTS HAVE BECOME DISORIENTED AND HAVE NEEDED ASSISTANCE BY CTLRS TO RIGHT THEMSELVES. THE LACK OF COVERAGE IN THIS AREA AND THE FACT THAT IT'S GREATER THAN 1 MI FROM THE CTL TWR MAKES IT DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE FOR CTLRS TO EFFECTIVELY PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO DISORIENTED PLTS. THIS AREA OF THE ARPT IS ADJACENT TO THE PARKING RAMP FOR GA FIXED WING AND HELI OPERATORS. I BELIEVE THAT THE ASDE RADAR HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY OPTIMIZED FOR COVERAGE DUE TO THE PROX OF THE PARKING AREA.

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.