Narrative:

I was working sector 16 at ZOA. I was to leave work at XA30. This sector deals with lemoore approach control and ZOA. I was working by myself. The first problem I would like to talk about is our computer. This computer is called the host computer replacing our old outdated 9020 computer. The question I ask, if this new computer is supposed to take us into the 20TH century, why can't it give a discrete beacon code to an aircraft with a flight plan in our computer instead of a non discrete code like an XX00 it gave to a number of flight plans on this day? The problem that occurred today was that an fgt X aircraft departed nlc on a test 3 route, in which the aircraft is on a maintenance flight to FL410 around a 15 NM arc or nlc airport. I had to pull up a discrete beacon code on that aircraft west/O lemoore approach giving me an automated handoff. At the same time I had an aircraft depart visibility airport with an incorrect route. This did distract me a bit I think. At around the same time, high altitude landed me off aircraft looking for lower altitude on a common boundary to another low altitude sector. I had to coordination with sector 21 for lower altitude on this aircraft also. Now lemoore approach called with a handoff. With all the confusion going on I thought they were giving me the fgt X test 3 flight, but later they said it was an fgt Y flight which is on an XX00 non discrete code. Well, for some reason, our computer did not track this aircraft. So now this fgt Y flight is calling me and I don't have anything on this aircraft. I radar identify the aircraft and separated the fgt X and fgt Y by altitude. Finally I got help from my supervisor and sorted everything out. I looked back at this situation and 1) when something happens at a sector, get 2 or more people to help out. 2) question why a multi-million $ computer can't assign only discrete beacons.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER COMPLAINS ABOUT COMPUTER ASSIGNMENT OF BEACON CODES TO ACFT WITH FLT PLAN INFORMATION ALREADY CONTAINED IN THE HOST COMPUTER.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING SECTOR 16 AT ZOA. I WAS TO LEAVE WORK AT XA30. THIS SECTOR DEALS WITH LEMOORE APCH CTL AND ZOA. I WAS WORKING BY MYSELF. THE FIRST PROB I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS OUR COMPUTER. THIS COMPUTER IS CALLED THE HOST COMPUTER REPLACING OUR OLD OUTDATED 9020 COMPUTER. THE QUESTION I ASK, IF THIS NEW COMPUTER IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE US INTO THE 20TH CENTURY, WHY CAN'T IT GIVE A DISCRETE BEACON CODE TO AN ACFT WITH A FLT PLAN IN OUR COMPUTER INSTEAD OF A NON DISCRETE CODE LIKE AN XX00 IT GAVE TO A NUMBER OF FLT PLANS ON THIS DAY? THE PROB THAT OCCURRED TODAY WAS THAT AN FGT X ACFT DEPARTED NLC ON A TEST 3 ROUTE, IN WHICH THE ACFT IS ON A MAINT FLT TO FL410 AROUND A 15 NM ARC OR NLC ARPT. I HAD TO PULL UP A DISCRETE BEACON CODE ON THAT ACFT W/O LEMOORE APCH GIVING ME AN AUTOMATED HDOF. AT THE SAME TIME I HAD AN ACFT DEPART VIS ARPT WITH AN INCORRECT ROUTE. THIS DID DISTRACT ME A BIT I THINK. AT AROUND THE SAME TIME, HIGH ALT LANDED ME OFF ACFT LOOKING FOR LOWER ALT ON A COMMON BOUNDARY TO ANOTHER LOW ALT SECTOR. I HAD TO COORD WITH SECTOR 21 FOR LOWER ALT ON THIS ACFT ALSO. NOW LEMOORE APCH CALLED WITH A HDOF. WITH ALL THE CONFUSION GOING ON I THOUGHT THEY WERE GIVING ME THE FGT X TEST 3 FLT, BUT LATER THEY SAID IT WAS AN FGT Y FLT WHICH IS ON AN XX00 NON DISCRETE CODE. WELL, FOR SOME REASON, OUR COMPUTER DID NOT TRACK THIS ACFT. SO NOW THIS FGT Y FLT IS CALLING ME AND I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON THIS ACFT. I RADAR IDENT THE ACFT AND SEPARATED THE FGT X AND FGT Y BY ALT. FINALLY I GOT HELP FROM MY SUPVR AND SORTED EVERYTHING OUT. I LOOKED BACK AT THIS SITUATION AND 1) WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS AT A SECTOR, GET 2 OR MORE PEOPLE TO HELP OUT. 2) QUESTION WHY A MULTI-MILLION $ COMPUTER CAN'T ASSIGN ONLY DISCRETE BEACONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.