The problem surfaces when these tools start to allow the gradual degradation of skills.
For example, the UK FAST system that was under trial at Heathrow Approach told the ATCO when to turn the a/c on to a standard base leg and then when to turn it on to a standard closing heading, etc.
All well and good, but those ATCOs who start training on the system will be only used to doing things as standard, being told when to turn a/c. What happens when the system is u/s? What happens if there's weather around that precludes half of the airspace? And as mentioned before, the ATCOs were regularly outperforming it anyway. Why should they need it?
We in the tower have a similar problem with our surface movement radar. It runs off Mode S data now and thus has labels, and the inbounds have their parking stands on the labels too. Those ATCOs who trained using this sometimes concentrate far too much on the radar screen in front of them rather than looking out of the window. This is dangerous. Many of us switch the radar off in good weather so we don't deverlop bad habits. To illustrate the loss of skills through introduction of new technology.......A few years ago we used to have a primary only SMR. That meant that the lighting operators didn't have the benefit of labels at all. Recently the link from our radar to the airport's stand information system went down, and the a/c labels just showed callsign, and not the parkiing stand. It was requested because of this to enforce 4 mile spacing inbound, to avoid overloading the lighting operators. Bearing in mind that only two years before the situation was even worse than this wityh primary only, but now we had to have inbound spacing. That demonstrates a loss of skills to me, and to rely on new technology means that when it fails, everything stops.
Before anyone flames me I have the utmost respect for our L/Ops, and I know I couldn't do their job with all the technology in the world helping me!
edit for spelling
Last edited by Gonzo; 30th Dec 2004 at 15:57.