Narrative:

While working cenrap procedures, many aircraft data tags would not keep up, or go into coast. Sometimes completely drop off. This type of occurrence has been logged 3 separate times. All controllers at mobile are working with less than acceptable equipment. It will be just a matter of time when a separation violation, or worse will happen. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that ZHU provides cenrap (center radar ARTS presentation) to mob. Controller states that all ZHU handoff aircraft display nat (non-ARTS track), or CST (coast), requiring interfacility coordination to verify aircraft position prior to accepting the handoff. Controller states that aircraft holding will have their ARTS tag either drop off, or swap with another tracked aircraft when their tracks merge. Also, tracked aircraft will 'lose' their ARTS tags, requiring the controller to frequently have the aircraft 'identify' to verify which tag belongs to which aircraft. Although intermittently documented on the supervisor's shift log, the reporter alleges that maintenance has not been able to resolve the problems. The controller states that the increased, required spacing, constant interfacility coordination with ZHU, forces reduced service to the user, reflected in not authorizing practices approachs, VFR advisories, or additional services to the other towered airports within mob's jurisdiction.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MOB CENRAP (CENTER RADAR ARTS PRESENTATION) CONFIGN CAUSES DROPPED AND SWAPPED TAGS, DOES NOT ALWAYS TRACK IDENTIFIED ACFT, CAUSES EXTRA INTERFAC COORD TO VERIFY ACFT IN HDOF.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING CENRAP PROCS, MANY ACFT DATA TAGS WOULD NOT KEEP UP, OR GO INTO COAST. SOMETIMES COMPLETELY DROP OFF. THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE HAS BEEN LOGGED 3 SEPARATE TIMES. ALL CTLRS AT MOBILE ARE WORKING WITH LESS THAN ACCEPTABLE EQUIP. IT WILL BE JUST A MATTER OF TIME WHEN A SEPARATION VIOLATION, OR WORSE WILL HAPPEN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT ZHU PROVIDES CENRAP (CENTER RADAR ARTS PRESENTATION) TO MOB. CTLR STATES THAT ALL ZHU HDOF ACFT DISPLAY NAT (NON-ARTS TRACK), OR CST (COAST), REQUIRING INTERFAC COORD TO VERIFY ACFT POS PRIOR TO ACCEPTING THE HDOF. CTLR STATES THAT ACFT HOLDING WILL HAVE THEIR ARTS TAG EITHER DROP OFF, OR SWAP WITH ANOTHER TRACKED ACFT WHEN THEIR TRACKS MERGE. ALSO, TRACKED ACFT WILL 'LOSE' THEIR ARTS TAGS, REQUIRING THE CTLR TO FREQUENTLY HAVE THE ACFT 'IDENT' TO VERIFY WHICH TAG BELONGS TO WHICH ACFT. ALTHOUGH INTERMITTENTLY DOCUMENTED ON THE SUPVR'S SHIFT LOG, THE RPTR ALLEGES THAT MAINT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBS. THE CTLR STATES THAT THE INCREASED, REQUIRED SPACING, CONSTANT INTERFAC COORD WITH ZHU, FORCES REDUCED SVC TO THE USER, REFLECTED IN NOT AUTHORIZING PRACTICES APCHS, VFR ADVISORIES, OR ADDITIONAL SVCS TO THE OTHER TOWERED ARPTS WITHIN MOB'S JURISDICTION.

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.