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ZLA controller expressed concern regarding the host computer assignment of cid's; utilizing an alpha character; citing potential confusing information.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 749756 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200708 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : pke.vortac |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 32000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-83 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 21 controller time certified in position1 : 20 |
| ASRS Report | 749756 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | computer equipment : zla.artcc |
Narrative:
A recent update to the en route center host computers allows the computer to assign a cid (computer identify number) with any alphabetic character from a-z in the 3RD digit. Air carrier X was assigned cid xxr. The aircraft was in conflict with another at the time of the handoff from ZAB to ZLA; and my d-side was coordinating with ZAB at the time. This aircraft needed to be turned and when I saw the xxr I mistook it as a 4TH line data block entry of xx degrees right. The aircraft had not been turned and was on course. The handoff was accepted and I later had to turn the aircraft right to avoid the traffic. The 4TH line allows non-verbal coordination between controllers and also gives a visual indication of what the aircraft is doing when it is assigned something not on the flight plan. As busy as air traffic sectors can become now; the host should not be programmed in a manner that can cause confusion such as this. The right and the left should not be allowed as assignable cid characters.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZLA CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE HOST COMPUTER ASSIGNMENT OF CID'S; UTILIZING AN ALPHA CHARACTER; CITING POTENTIAL CONFUSING INFO.
Narrative: A RECENT UPDATE TO THE ENRTE CTR HOST COMPUTERS ALLOWS THE COMPUTER TO ASSIGN A CID (COMPUTER IDENT NUMBER) WITH ANY ALPHABETIC CHARACTER FROM A-Z IN THE 3RD DIGIT. ACR X WAS ASSIGNED CID XXR. THE ACFT WAS IN CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER AT THE TIME OF THE HDOF FROM ZAB TO ZLA; AND MY D-SIDE WAS COORDINATING WITH ZAB AT THE TIME. THIS ACFT NEEDED TO BE TURNED AND WHEN I SAW THE XXR I MISTOOK IT AS A 4TH LINE DATA BLOCK ENTRY OF XX DEGS R. THE ACFT HAD NOT BEEN TURNED AND WAS ON COURSE. THE HDOF WAS ACCEPTED AND I LATER HAD TO TURN THE ACFT R TO AVOID THE TFC. THE 4TH LINE ALLOWS NON-VERBAL COORD BTWN CTLRS AND ALSO GIVES A VISUAL INDICATION OF WHAT THE ACFT IS DOING WHEN IT IS ASSIGNED SOMETHING NOT ON THE FLT PLAN. AS BUSY AS AIR TFC SECTORS CAN BECOME NOW; THE HOST SHOULD NOT BE PROGRAMMED IN A MANNER THAT CAN CAUSE CONFUSION SUCH AS THIS. THE R AND THE L SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED AS ASSIGNABLE CID CHARACTERS.
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.