Argentina/Buenos Aires Radar Outage

[1.3vso]

Hi there, does someone have an update on the situation with the Buenos Aires, Argentina Terminal Radar antenna that apparently took a lightning strike on Friday, March 2 ? I'm on vacation here with the family and airline delays have been horrendous.

An Aerolineas Argentinas employee at Aeroparque Newberry (SABE) told me that they're using a radar feed from Montevideo, URG to run the air traffic control. Sounded almost like what we call CENRAP in the US where the center radar is used by terminal radar approach controls (resulting in extra miles in trail spacing and limited ability to radar vector). You'd think the controllers would have at least learned to live with the limitations of a radar outage by now :-)

Couldn't find any NOTAMS etc nor was there any mention in the English language news sites.:ugh:

[Riverboat]

Latest situation (this morning) from Buenos Aires herald:

"Delays continue at Ezeiza airport

Flights continued to be delayed for the sixth day yesterday at Ezeiza International Airport after lightning hit the radar system during a storm. The airport has been operating with radar systems from Montevideo, Paraná and Mar del Plata. The air force said the first stage of the repairs had already been completed."

Slightly odd that there should be such long delays as until recently they basically operated procedurally anyway. There hasn't been a massive increase in traffic as far as one can see. But obviously there are some good reasons otherwise there wouldn't be such delays, and Buenos Aires ATC has improved significantly over the last few years.

[malagajohn]

I'm flying ther on Saturday and I've just been on the phone to a friend

He claims the situation is coorected as of 19.00 local this pm

Lets hope:D :D

[malagajohn]

According to the ARG Air Force the radar has been worked normally as of 16.09 local time - delays should disappear today

Here is a link in Spanish to INFOBAE , a BA newspaper

http://www.infobae.com/contenidos/305251-100799-0-Arreglan-el-radar-y-se-normalizan-los-vuelos

[1.3vso]

Thanks Riverboat & Malagajohn. Am flying Trelew to Aeroparque Newberry in an hour or so. I'll check with the flight crew and pass along any updates (if any).

[helirider]

From what I could gather, international flights are arriving and departing
fairly much on schedule. Could you have this confirmed ?

However, delays and reprogramming still seem to persist today for domestic flights.
For instance, I have been told that a domestic flight scheduled for departure prior to 07:30 AM, left with 20 minutes delay. A flight scheduled for departures at 02:30 PM has been reprogrammed already to 04:30 PM. Any news about critical radar systems that are either out of order,
or erratic at the best?
thank you for any information...