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Gfk tower controller expressed concern regarding continued increased traffic and constant radar failures.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 783804 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200804 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : gfk.airport |
| State Reference | ND |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Experience | controller time certified in position1 : 1 |
| ASRS Report | 783804 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA Navigational Facility ATC Facility |
| Primary Problem | Navigational Facility |
Narrative:
While working local control 2 (east; runway 35R) with heavy traffic and numerous departures; our radar failed. This has been a constant problem now at gfk. Targets will disappear from the scope for 2-3 sweeps; during moderate to heavy traffic the radar system cannot distinguish targets and a '?' will appear for each target; and the user interface is very frustrating (ie; entering flight plans; and other basic radar functions). With gfk averaging 1200-1600+ operations a day now; and numerous foreign student pilots flying around; having a radar we can rely on is essential for the safe and efficient movement of traffic here. With the talk of another 30-40 aircraft arriving soon to accommodate the increased foreign student pilots and another 5-10 helicopters; we need a reliable radar as soon as possible.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GFK TWR CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING CONTINUED INCREASED TFC AND CONSTANT RADAR FAILURES.
Narrative: WHILE WORKING LCL CTL 2 (E; RWY 35R) WITH HVY TFC AND NUMEROUS DEPS; OUR RADAR FAILED. THIS HAS BEEN A CONSTANT PROB NOW AT GFK. TARGETS WILL DISAPPEAR FROM THE SCOPE FOR 2-3 SWEEPS; DURING MODERATE TO HVY TFC THE RADAR SYS CANNOT DISTINGUISH TARGETS AND A '?' WILL APPEAR FOR EACH TARGET; AND THE USER INTERFACE IS VERY FRUSTRATING (IE; ENTERING FLT PLANS; AND OTHER BASIC RADAR FUNCTIONS). WITH GFK AVERAGING 1200-1600+ OPS A DAY NOW; AND NUMEROUS FOREIGN STUDENT PLTS FLYING AROUND; HAVING A RADAR WE CAN RELY ON IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE SAFE AND EFFICIENT MOVEMENT OF TFC HERE. WITH THE TALK OF ANOTHER 30-40 ACFT ARRIVING SOON TO ACCOMMODATE THE INCREASED FOREIGN STUDENT PLTS AND ANOTHER 5-10 HELIS; WE NEED A RELIABLE RADAR ASAP.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.