Electronic Strips
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Electronic Strips
With the introduction of electronic strips getting ever closer, does anybody know what they look like or how they are supposed to work and what effect will they have on the role of our Assistants?
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I can only speak from personal experience of the Oz system; it fundamentally changes the way you do the job. You stop looking at strips and look almost excusively at the data blocks on the a/c. It has some plusses, but a lot of negs. Redirecting your attention to the scope sounds good, however you become almost totally reactionary as little planning can be done on e strips. At first, you write everything down, then input data to catch up. This could lead to huge workload issues. 'Feeding the elephant'. After about a month live you get comfortable not writing anything down, inputting straight to data. It actually is faster and better- AS LONG AS EVERYTHING IS ON THE RAILS. As soon as anything unusual happens, you are in big trouble. The system, like all computers, is very inflexible. If you have to create a plan on-the-fly, the number of mandatory data fields channels your att- not good in atc. You basically have to call for immediate assistance, no grabbing a blank and scribbling details. Similar with rerouting, depending on what tools they give you. Either way, formerly a simple matter, rerouting takes concentration.
I could go on for ages, but I'll let others more eloquent.
The majority of our assistants were sacked.
I could go on for ages, but I'll let others more eloquent.
The majority of our assistants were sacked.
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Not as substantial as you think. Most ATC units that use electronic strips usually have two ATCOs to each radar position (one planner for data input and one active controller). This requires a greater number of ATCOs. Those units that do not use this setup (eg, Germany)still use ATSAs for data input.
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I`m glad that we still have our good oldfashioned strips. I can´t imagine how I should work with electronic strips on a busy sector. What do you do on a feeder position where you sit alone?
With the current speed of progress it will be a long time until we introduce this system in Germany...
With the current speed of progress it will be a long time until we introduce this system in Germany...
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As a slight aside has anyone noticed how the Electronic Stips part of the NATS Intanet site is securely password protected - for some reason?
Hmmmm
[ 18 August 2001: Message edited by: niteflite01 ]
Hmmmm
[ 18 August 2001: Message edited by: niteflite01 ]
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I should have mentioned the myth of cost saving. The capital cost of the equipment was calculated at 150 years worth of assistants saved. And that capital cost is outlayed now - not over 150 years. Watch your accountants squirm to justify that! And you were wondering where your bonus went. Check at the 'alter of ideology'.
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Does anyone use electronic strips in an environment where traffic just freecalls out of the blue?
We deal with quite a lot of this traffic (mainly VFR) & I can't see it being anywhere near as quick as just handwriting a strip as you go.
Sometimes in the heat of the moment you just make do with the info you have. (might only be a callsign & a level). The idea of compulsory fields without which you can't proceed sounds like a big step backwards. Unless as someone said there will be more ATCO's enslaved to the system.
I hear that no-one at the unit which is to be the UK trial for electronic strips has been to see any of the systems under consideration working. Not even the unit management.
Talk about buying a pig in a poke.
We deal with quite a lot of this traffic (mainly VFR) & I can't see it being anywhere near as quick as just handwriting a strip as you go.
Sometimes in the heat of the moment you just make do with the info you have. (might only be a callsign & a level). The idea of compulsory fields without which you can't proceed sounds like a big step backwards. Unless as someone said there will be more ATCO's enslaved to the system.
I hear that no-one at the unit which is to be the UK trial for electronic strips has been to see any of the systems under consideration working. Not even the unit management.
Talk about buying a pig in a poke.
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Spotter- in oz they changed the rules so that without a plan in the system you get no service. It is not geared for pop-ups. (or failures, emergencies, wx diversions, holding, atc etc.)
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We have two centers right now that are more or less stripless. Both Memphis and Indianapolis Centers are using a new tool called URET (user request evaluation tool). It is a conflict probe that also has been given tools that will allow it to serve some of the purpose that we use strips for. It allows our D-side (planner) to look into the future and see what is coming and what needs to be done. The good news is that as long as the aircraft is actually on its route, the conflict probe looks 20 minutes into the future to see how the route looks.
Controllers who have used it have liked it for the most part. Not in a small part due to it allowing you to do away with paper strips. As to inputing flight plan info. It allows you to make flight plan data changes with just a couple clicks of the mouse. It is actually easier than using the old NAS stuff.
As to VFR's. Those are easy with our current NAS program. We hit the VP key (VFR plan) and then type in the aircraft type, airport of landing and the aircraft CID (computer id number). That's it. It is now a tracked aircraft in the system. We also do the same thing with IFR's that pop up and we have no info on them. We then just change the altitude to show what they are requesting. You can also go back in later and change the route of flight if it is anything other than direct to the airport. It all takes place in a few seconds.
regards
Controllers who have used it have liked it for the most part. Not in a small part due to it allowing you to do away with paper strips. As to inputing flight plan info. It allows you to make flight plan data changes with just a couple clicks of the mouse. It is actually easier than using the old NAS stuff.
As to VFR's. Those are easy with our current NAS program. We hit the VP key (VFR plan) and then type in the aircraft type, airport of landing and the aircraft CID (computer id number). That's it. It is now a tracked aircraft in the system. We also do the same thing with IFR's that pop up and we have no info on them. We then just change the altitude to show what they are requesting. You can also go back in later and change the route of flight if it is anything other than direct to the airport. It all takes place in a few seconds.
regards
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That one worked then! ATSA's are seen as being an easy target by 'management' (I do use that term as loosly as a good curry, 6 lagers and a couple of dozen plums. Technology will replace anything if you let it. There will be no controllers one day. The US 'Command Centre' is, in my opinion, as start. ATSA's do a great job as many ATCO's have testified on these forums. EPS will not be there when the crap hits the whirlygig as it will probably have just failed itself!
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I suspect that once real life hits NERC, the assistants will be as glad as the managers to get rid of PFSs - we too will be far to busy at the pachyderm commissary, performing "other duties as directed by the T & P" to strip up!
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Scott,
Watched a programme about it on TV recently. I liked the comment "If you view the Command Centre operatives as officers then the controllers are the infantry" that would not go down well in some quarters. The TV programme did a really good job of selling the idea. Whats the problem with it?
Watched a programme about it on TV recently. I liked the comment "If you view the Command Centre operatives as officers then the controllers are the infantry" that would not go down well in some quarters. The TV programme did a really good job of selling the idea. Whats the problem with it?
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There's nothing wrong with it in concept. The problem is that they are just an extra level who don't know what is always going on at the local level. When they do get moving since they are an extra level it just takes longer to get things done.
Now that said. They are good to break ties in arguments between facilities, but some of the decisions that are made there are pretty boneheaded at times. My opinion is that no one there should be there any more than two years and should all come from the field from an active controlling position. This normally doesn't happen... They lose too much perspective as to what goes on in the trenches.
regards
Now that said. They are good to break ties in arguments between facilities, but some of the decisions that are made there are pretty boneheaded at times. My opinion is that no one there should be there any more than two years and should all come from the field from an active controlling position. This normally doesn't happen... They lose too much perspective as to what goes on in the trenches.
regards
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Ferris & Spotter - we use electronic strips where traffic pops up - it's no problem as we have a default flight plan entry screen - when you call it up it opens with the cursor in the callsign field, you type in the callsign and hit the enter key twice and bingo - the FDPS computer creates an "airfiled" VFR plan with a discrete SSR code allocated - once the driver airframe copies that and dials it into his transponder you get a full data block on the screen - takes about 30 seconds all up.
Paper is a pain.
Paper is a pain.
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Delta Whiskey, thanks, that is the first positive comment I've seen on electronic strips. Sounds like that would cater for our free calling traffic OK.
You sound like you are happy with your system. Is it intuitive to use? Keyboard/Mouse/etc?
Do you do the same amount of "strip marking" as you did with paper?
In our approach setting we as a matter of course would mark the strip with the following:
R - radar identified (followed by a / when transferred to director)
I/V/SRA etc - type of approach
Runway
Q when QNH passed
levels (usually 70, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2.2 sometimes more steps)
VFR as required
RCS/RAS/RIS/FIS
headings (usually at least 3)
speeds (up to 4)
Is this similar to yours? What system do you use?
Does the display show old data (previous assigned headings/levels/speeds) etc or just the latest update?
Lots of questions I know, but no-one on the unit has seen any of the systems under consideration working.
You sound like you are happy with your system. Is it intuitive to use? Keyboard/Mouse/etc?
Do you do the same amount of "strip marking" as you did with paper?
In our approach setting we as a matter of course would mark the strip with the following:
R - radar identified (followed by a / when transferred to director)
I/V/SRA etc - type of approach
Runway
Q when QNH passed
levels (usually 70, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2.2 sometimes more steps)
VFR as required
RCS/RAS/RIS/FIS
headings (usually at least 3)
speeds (up to 4)
Is this similar to yours? What system do you use?
Does the display show old data (previous assigned headings/levels/speeds) etc or just the latest update?
Lots of questions I know, but no-one on the unit has seen any of the systems under consideration working.