Good NERC rumour!!!

[MACC 29 all the time!!!!]

I heard at work last night that Mr Semple before his departure, was heard to say if NERC had another delay they were going to scrap it all and start over! (Software of course, I assume)

[niteflite01]

Didn't hear that rumour whilst you were sitting on those awful new chairs in the restroom did you by any chance :)

I don't think anyone would be surprised if the continuing NERC saga rumbled on and on and on and on and on and on and..........



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"Go around..I say again...go around"

[cossack]

The "leather" settee is ok if a little small. No good for a proper rest!!!
Beats the doctor's waiting room stuff though!!!

Correcting typos!

[This message has been edited by cossack (edited 27 September 2000).]

[Shazbat]

That's funny......I thought NERC WAS a rumour !

:) :) :) :) :) :) :)

[MACC 29 all the time!!!!]

the Leather sofa jobby may be alright if you happen to be 3 and a half foot tall with 8 inch long legs!!!

[Henrietta Horsebox]

I am fed up with all this negativity regarding NERC. Why is it that you find it necessary to put down a fine example of modern architecture, a working environment that is an ergonomic delight and on-site leisure facilities to suit every taste.

Let's celebrate the achievement rather than continuous knocking of it and wear our NERC/Swanwick NATS ties, pins, T-shirts etc with pride.

It's too easy to hide behind email and be negative. Shazbat - come out from behind that face beaver and do the difficult thing for once.

H

[Numpo-Nigit]

HH

I notice you didn't rave about the computer software and MOPs - something significant ???

[Shazbat]

Hi Henrietta

I'd be only too glad to rave about NERC is it had satisfactory procedueres, fail-safe equipment and the staff to man it !! Yes, the other facilities are wonderful.......hmmmmmmm, wouldn't it make a SUPER sports centre !! :)

And remember Henrietta.......LATCC is NOW moving more traffic than NERC was designed to take......and a helluva lot more than it will take when (or should I say if) it ever opens ! http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/tongue.gif

[OrsonCart]

HH, you are alone with your views.

Shaz, keep it up.

[Data Dad]

I remember hearing a while back that NERC = Never Ever Ready Centre :) :) :) :) :)

[This message has been edited by Data Dad (edited 27 September 2000).]

[cossack]

MACC 29 all the time!!!!
Your description of who the settee was designed for sounds like someone we know.
Is it a "special" settee just for him?!!!!

[Bluespectre]

Would someone like to confirm for me that NERC is a new ATC Centre with a new 'soft' ATC system. It sounds like the systems that they brought in in Australia TAAATS(Civil) ADATS(Military). They are difficult to access information, split screens and a lot of keyboard entry.

[Henrietta Horsebox]

Bluespectre

NATS - the UK's ATC provider - decided to have a green field site with new hardware in a daylight ops room using 'new' software. I say 'new' as most is custom-built but some is re-used from the failed US AAS system.

Fine in theory. The building is great, the country park location OK if you don't like London (it's near Southampton 70 miles from Heathrow; nothing to an Aussie but a lot to us).

The practical challenges have been connecting the new system to the existing infrastructure such as the mainframe computer 'Host' which provides Flight data Processing data to the NERC and data interchange system with other agencies, plus the R/T equipment etc. Then there are the operating procedures (the 'Mops' referred to in a previous post) which the controllers have some issues with....yes lots of keyboard inputs are required but the controllers still use pen and paper strips too.

Try searching on 'NERC' or 'Swanwick Centre' for official info.

Apparently the centre will go live Jan-2002.

HH

[CharlesDavid]

On to more serious rumours... I heard there will be a 5-a-side pitch at the NERC. Can anyone confirm this?

[niteflite01]

If only the damned coffee machine could work for more than one day though eh?

Good to know there are fellow MACC chaps on here anyhow :)


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"Go around..I say again...go around"

[This message has been edited by niteflite01 (edited 28 September 2000).]

[Numpo-Nigit]

The coffee machine at MACC works for a whole day ???? Send one down to LATCC immediately please !!!!

[niteflite01]

Hahahaha Numpo - only very very VERY rarely does the machine operate for a full day.

After tasting the creamychoc I think it may be best that it's knackered most of the time.

And the tea come to think of it!

And the coffee!



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"Go around..I say again...go around"

[Blame_NERC]

In answer to CharlesDavid

NERC does have an Indoor 5-a-side court which doubles as badminton courts/basketball court

[Numpo-Nigit]

Well, with such excellent sports facilities, NERC should be in with a shout for several medals at the 2004 Olympics ............. shortly before NERC opens ???

[Not Long Now]

Of course there is 5-a-side, it's the South bank and North bank, though perhaps overestimating somewhat the number of controllers available to be working at NERC in 2002.
And while I'm here, why are all the sectors being numbered instead of named? I know it's been going on for some time, and call me old fashioned, I expect I'll get used to it, but it was definitely easier to think "I want to speak to HRN R1, I'll press the HRN R1 button", not "S31"(forgive me if it's not S31, but probably just goes to prove my point). Someone tried to tell me it was to aid programming at NERC? Surely not, I mean to a big iron brain isn't HRN equivalent to S31, or is that just a load of ASCII?

[Numpo-Nigit]

Yes, those sector numbers! The explanation comes direct from our sad-but-true department! Apparently, many years ago, when NERC was still believed to be opening in the 20th century, there was a technical discussion between ATC and Tels about some requirement. As usual, the two sides were talking a different language. Finally, in desperation or in anger, a senior ATC person (no names here, please) took out the no-smoking equivalent of a fag packet and sketched out a sector layout and gave the Tels man the requirement again with the random numbers thus depicted. Meeting over, message passed, job done! Some weeks or months later, said ATC person was horrified to discover that his hastily-scribbled numbers were now an integral part of the NERC project. Instead of owning-up to the mix-up, the myth has been perpetuated that it is essential to have sector numbers at NERC. No matter how simply and how often it is explained to the ATC team that, whilst the "system" may require sector numbers (as has the system at LATCC since time immemorial), the telephones and ATC procedures are easier/safer/better with sector names, they cannot bring themselves to suffer the loss-of-face involved in a climbdown. My advice - just ignore the numbers, use sector names and, when the guilty parties retire (or are sacked), sector names will be "cool" again.

[MACC 29 all the time!!!!]

Most of the rest of the time it just sits there collecting Graffiti!!!!!!

DON'T GRAFFITI THE COFFEE MACHINE

[niteflite01]

The only grafitti I've ever seen on it is a big whopping "Out of Order" notice - and that appears with unerring regularity :)

Wonder what the drinks machines will be like at NERC?

Hahahaha - you'll probably ask for a coffee then, after a software error and filling it full of 10p's, you'll get a cup of tomato soup six years later :) :) :)



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"Go around..I say again...go around"

[Lon More]

Numpo- it wouldn't be the first time they did that.
Rumour had it back in the &0's that the decision on where to build the thenNew centre was made on the telephone and that the concensus for, if memory is correct, West Rainham was understood to be West Drayton