Narrative:

San juan cerap had an operational error. Management has developed new procedures after this event. The operational error occurred on sector 4. It has a radar position (R4) and a d-side (D4). D4 is responsible for all non-radar traffic. The notice (ZSU N7110.150) states the following: R4 controller must: a) scan for non-radar traffic in his bays prior to terminating radar services on an aircraft under his control. B) verbally confirm with the D4 controller that non-radar separation exists between the aircraft in question and all other non-radar traffic. It is my opinion that these new procedures are unsafe. The radar controller has the responsibility of all the radar traffic and he/she is supposed to maintain attention all the time to the radar scope. Now the radar controller will have to search all the bays to look for conflicts and to verify if the traffic is separated using non-radar rules. That is the d-side job. These controllers are certified to perform non-radar separation. How can the radar controller maintain the picture of his traffic when he/she also needs to separate all of the traffic on the d-side bays. This procedure can also cause delays due to the inability of the controller to handle more airplanes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZSU CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING NEW PROCS THAT ASSIGNS NON RADAR SEPARATION RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE RADAR CTLR.

Narrative: SAN JUAN CERAP HAD AN OPERROR. MGMNT HAS DEVELOPED NEW PROCS AFTER THIS EVENT. THE OPERROR OCCURRED ON SECTOR 4. IT HAS A RADAR POS (R4) AND A D-SIDE (D4). D4 IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL NON-RADAR TFC. THE NOTICE (ZSU N7110.150) STATES THE FOLLOWING: R4 CTLR MUST: A) SCAN FOR NON-RADAR TFC IN HIS BAYS PRIOR TO TERMINATING RADAR SVCS ON AN ACFT UNDER HIS CTL. B) VERBALLY CONFIRM WITH THE D4 CTLR THAT NON-RADAR SEPARATION EXISTS BTWN THE ACFT IN QUESTION AND ALL OTHER NON-RADAR TFC. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THESE NEW PROCS ARE UNSAFE. THE RADAR CTLR HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL THE RADAR TFC AND HE/SHE IS SUPPOSED TO MAINTAIN ATTN ALL THE TIME TO THE RADAR SCOPE. NOW THE RADAR CTLR WILL HAVE TO SEARCH ALL THE BAYS TO LOOK FOR CONFLICTS AND TO VERIFY IF THE TFC IS SEPARATED USING NON-RADAR RULES. THAT IS THE D-SIDE JOB. THESE CTLRS ARE CERTIFIED TO PERFORM NON-RADAR SEPARATION. HOW CAN THE RADAR CTLR MAINTAIN THE PICTURE OF HIS TFC WHEN HE/SHE ALSO NEEDS TO SEPARATE ALL OF THE TFC ON THE D-SIDE BAYS. THIS PROC CAN ALSO CAUSE DELAYS DUE TO THE INABILITY OF THE CTLR TO HANDLE MORE AIRPLANES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.