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VFR aircraft transiting controller airspace caused numerous alarms due to VFR traffic alert computer patch.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 126403 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198910 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ftz |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 23000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| ASRS Report | 126403 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
One GA aircraft, transiting sector 52 during an extremely heavy traffic period, managed to generate multiple conflict alerts due to the VFR traffic alert computer patch. As I'd shut one off, another would start--over and over. I can recall having at least 3 sets going off at once. This profusion of flashing data blocks, besides being intensely distracting, occasionally obscured other far more pertinent IFR data blocks. At one point this almost led to a near miss between 2 IFR aircraft. A sector controller should have the ability, and the prerogative, to completely suppress the VFR C/a feature within his sector (perhaps a function and entry similar to the group suppress failure).
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: VFR ACFT TRANSITING CTLR AIRSPACE CAUSED NUMEROUS ALARMS DUE TO VFR TRAFFIC ALERT COMPUTER PATCH.
Narrative: ONE GA ACFT, TRANSITING SECTOR 52 DURING AN EXTREMELY HEAVY TFC PERIOD, MANAGED TO GENERATE MULTIPLE CONFLICT ALERTS DUE TO THE VFR TFC ALERT COMPUTER PATCH. AS I'D SHUT ONE OFF, ANOTHER WOULD START--OVER AND OVER. I CAN RECALL HAVING AT LEAST 3 SETS GOING OFF AT ONCE. THIS PROFUSION OF FLASHING DATA BLOCKS, BESIDES BEING INTENSELY DISTRACTING, OCCASIONALLY OBSCURED OTHER FAR MORE PERTINENT IFR DATA BLOCKS. AT ONE POINT THIS ALMOST LED TO A NEAR MISS BTWN 2 IFR ACFT. A SECTOR CTLR SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY, AND THE PREROGATIVE, TO COMPLETELY SUPPRESS THE VFR C/A FEATURE WITHIN HIS SECTOR (PERHAPS A FUNCTION AND ENTRY SIMILAR TO THE GROUP SUPPRESS FAILURE).
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.