Narrative:

While working the radar east (re) position; I noticed a continuing practice of improper ARTS usage that confuses me and others with regards to the status of an aircraft as being on an ILS approach or a visual approach at aus. Our local standard operating procedures (SOP) allows for an '.a' or 'ais' to be added to an ARTS data tag to indicate that an aircraft has aus 'in sight'. This is generally used by the radar west (rw) and radar east positions to assist the austin final (af) controller. The SOP also allows for a 'va' to indicate that an aircraft has been cleared for a visual approach. On the day of this event; there were low scattered clouds that prevented aus from advertising visual approaches on the ATIS. ILS approaches were being advertised to runway 17L and 17R. As a general rule; if an aircraft has been cleared for a va under this type of situation; a 'va' will be added to the data tag to inform the tower cab and other positions that a specific aircraft has been cleared for a va. This is beneficial to the tower in the event that stagger spacing decreases to less than the 2.0 required; if one aircraft is known to be on a va by the inclusion of 'va' in the data tag; then the tower does not need to break-out or reduce the speed of any arrivals. The controller working next to me was placing 'a' and 'va' in the data tags of aircraft on initial contact after I switched my aircraft to his sector frequency. Although some of these aircraft had the airport in sight; they were not on va. Some aircraft had va appended to their data tags on initial contact; thus informing the tower and all other controllers that a specific aircraft had been cleared for the va; when in fact the aircraft had not been actually cleared for the va. Some aus controllers use the 'a' entry to indicate that they have cleared the aircraft for a va. So what is it? Does 'a' mean 'airport in sight'; or does it mean 'cleared for visual approach'? Past practices and procedures that I have observed at other facilities have been to only include the va in the data tag if an aircraft had actually been cleared for a visual approach. Ais was used instead of the '.a' function; as ais would be replaced with va. I find it confusing and misleading as a radar controller to see and know that the final controller is inputting incorrect information in the data tag that is essentially betting that an aircraft will report the airport in sight; or betting that the aircraft will be cleared for the visual approach. As a tower controller; I use the data tag information to determine whether I might need to issue a speed reduction; break-out; or go-around call to ensure spacing and separation. Recommendation; update the local ARTS order and procedures to indicate that 'ais' is the only entry to be used for 'airport in sight'. Ais will be removed from the data tag by 'va' to indicate that an aircraft has been cleared for a 'visual approach'; and this entry shall only be used when the aircraft has actually been cleared for the va. We need to all use the same ARTS entries; and have the same understanding of what these entries mean.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AUS Controller voiced concern regarding the current facility practice of permitting several different data block entries to indicate visual approach information; suggesting the need for revised procedures.

Narrative: While working the RADAR East (RE) Position; I noticed a continuing practice of improper ARTS usage that confuses me and others with regards to the status of an aircraft as being on an ILS Approach or a Visual Approach at AUS. Our local Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) allows for an '.A' or 'AIS' to be added to an ARTS data tag to indicate that an aircraft has AUS 'in sight'. This is generally used by the RADAR West (RW) and RADAR East Positions to assist the Austin Final (AF) Controller. The SOP also allows for a 'VA' to indicate that an aircraft has been cleared for a Visual Approach. On the day of this event; there were low scattered clouds that prevented AUS from advertising Visual Approaches on the ATIS. ILS Approaches were being advertised to Runway 17L and 17R. As a general rule; if an aircraft has been cleared for a VA under this type of situation; a 'VA' will be added to the data tag to inform the Tower Cab and other Positions that a specific aircraft has been cleared for a VA. This is beneficial to the Tower in the event that Stagger Spacing decreases to less than the 2.0 required; if one aircraft is known to be on a VA by the inclusion of 'VA' in the data tag; then the Tower does not need to break-out or reduce the speed of any arrivals. The Controller working next to me was placing 'A' and 'VA' in the data tags of aircraft on initial contact after I switched my aircraft to his sector frequency. Although some of these aircraft had the airport in sight; they were not on VA. Some aircraft had VA appended to their data tags on initial contact; thus informing the Tower and all other Controllers that a specific aircraft had been cleared for the VA; when in fact the aircraft had not been actually cleared for the VA. Some AUS Controllers use the 'A' entry to indicate that they have cleared the aircraft for a VA. So what is it? Does 'A' mean 'Airport in Sight'; or does it mean 'Cleared for Visual Approach'? Past practices and procedures that I have observed at other facilities have been to ONLY include the VA in the data tag if an aircraft had actually been cleared for a Visual Approach. AIS was used instead of the '.A' function; as AIS would be replaced with VA. I find it confusing and misleading as a RADAR Controller to see and know that the Final Controller is inputting incorrect information in the data tag that is essentially betting that an aircraft will report the airport in sight; or betting that the aircraft will be cleared for the visual approach. As a Tower Controller; I use the data tag information to determine whether I might need to issue a speed reduction; break-out; or go-around call to ensure spacing and separation. Recommendation; update the local ARTS Order and Procedures to indicate that 'AIS' is the only entry to be used for 'Airport In Sight'. AIS will be removed from the data tag by 'VA' to indicate that an aircraft has been cleared for a 'Visual Approach'; and this entry shall only be used when the aircraft has actually been cleared for the VA. We need to all use the same ARTS entries; and have the same understanding of what these entries mean.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.