<< >> NASA ASRS Report 430627, March 1999

ZTL controller concerned with facility's lack of correcting winds aloft computer program. Reporter states controllers ignore flat track updates due to this programming problem. Reporter states supervisors take no action to identify and correct problem.

Attributes
ACN	430627
Time
Date	199903
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ztl.artcc
State Reference	GA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : student
Experience	controller radar : 17 flight time total : 10
ASRS Report	430627
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : winds aloft other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure FAA ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	computer equipment : ztl.artcc
Airspace Structure	class e : ztl.e

Narrative:

The maiden ars radar site was taken down for much needed maintenance. This makes most of the wilkes sector (ZTL 48) non radar. The computer program that estimates the winds aloft is consistently wrong. I was receiving time updates of 3-27 mins. Once again, I have brought this problem to the attention of the supervisors. Once again, no action has been taken. Part of the problem is that controllers routinely ignore time updates. With the wind program consistently wrong and working short staffed, this is one of the short cuts that controllers are taking.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZTL CTLR CONCERNED WITH FACILITY'S LACK OF CORRECTING WINDS ALOFT COMPUTER PROGRAM. RPTR STATES CTLRS IGNORE FLAT TRACK UPDATES DUE TO THIS PROGRAMMING PROB. RPTR STATES SUPVRS TAKE NO ACTION TO IDENT AND CORRECT PROB.

Narrative: THE MAIDEN ARS RADAR SITE WAS TAKEN DOWN FOR MUCH NEEDED MAINT. THIS MAKES MOST OF THE WILKES SECTOR (ZTL 48) NON RADAR. THE COMPUTER PROGRAM THAT ESTIMATES THE WINDS ALOFT IS CONSISTENTLY WRONG. I WAS RECEIVING TIME UPDATES OF 3-27 MINS. ONCE AGAIN, I HAVE BROUGHT THIS PROB TO THE ATTN OF THE SUPVRS. ONCE AGAIN, NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN. PART OF THE PROB IS THAT CTLRS ROUTINELY IGNORE TIME UPDATES. WITH THE WIND PROGRAM CONSISTENTLY WRONG AND WORKING SHORT STAFFED, THIS IS ONE OF THE SHORT CUTS THAT CTLRS ARE TAKING.

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