Narrative:

ARTS failure at mco ATCT. Numerous problems with ARTS. Data tags and secondary radar returns disappeared on some aircraft. No data in system on the busiest departure route on all aircraft. Automated handoffs not working. WX impacting the area, aircraft deviating everywhere. This was a day with more traffic than normal, especially GA overflts. This ARTS system has failed at least 3 times since new software was installed 3 weeks ago. Margins of safety are being greatly reduced and this situation is a serious hazard to air safety. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter did not add any new information except to say the 3 failures were very brief and that the old software was reinstalled until further checks are made.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATES ATC ARTS EQUIP FAILED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 WKS SINCE THE INSTALLATION OF NEW SOFTWARE.

Narrative: ARTS FAILURE AT MCO ATCT. NUMEROUS PROBS WITH ARTS. DATA TAGS AND SECONDARY RADAR RETURNS DISAPPEARED ON SOME ACFT. NO DATA IN SYS ON THE BUSIEST DEP RTE ON ALL ACFT. AUTOMATED HDOFS NOT WORKING. WX IMPACTING THE AREA, ACFT DEVIATING EVERYWHERE. THIS WAS A DAY WITH MORE TFC THAN NORMAL, ESPECIALLY GA OVERFLTS. THIS ARTS SYS HAS FAILED AT LEAST 3 TIMES SINCE NEW SOFTWARE WAS INSTALLED 3 WKS AGO. MARGINS OF SAFETY ARE BEING GREATLY REDUCED AND THIS SIT IS A SERIOUS HAZARD TO AIR SAFETY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR DID NOT ADD ANY NEW INFO EXCEPT TO SAY THE 3 FAILURES WERE VERY BRIEF AND THAT THE OLD SOFTWARE WAS REINSTALLED UNTIL FURTHER CHKS ARE MADE.

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.