Gonzo
I agree reporting action needs to be taken, but for how long? If you buy a new car and it doesn't work as advertised, you take it back. Does the dealer then say I don't believe you, make a log of what goes wrong?
In fact after a year or so we stopped reporting RIMCAS faults, nobody bothered to do so because everyone knew they kept ocurring. Someone in Ops was surprised recently when someone mentioned the RIMCAS faults still happening; they assumed the problem had gone away!
A year or so! WTF! If something is not working for that long and your management can't or won't do anything then 1261 it and refuse to use it. See how long it takes to get fixed then. If you need more arrival space because the radar doesn't work, then get it. Don't roll over and accept it. If you do, you're your own worst enemy and have no grounds for complaint.
Why does NATS not seem to get a good deal when it buys new kit? For years I've heard stories of how new equipment was bought but doesn't work as it should and years later its still there. SMRs with masked areas etc.
The new tower wil give you the opportunity to get a more harmonised work environment with displays that match. If NATS transplant systems from the old into the new, you're not going to gain much more than a new building.
Lets not have new technology just for technologys sake! Heathrow's new VCR needs an integrated technology package that everyone can become familiar with in a short space of time.
I agree. What has been bought has a proven track record in many Canadian towers and Terminal units. It does work. It is user friendly. Does it interface with what is being used by NATS now? Not sure. Will it interface with what NATS will use in the future? For your sakes, I hope so.