Tonights the big night...PC here we come
Very well done everyone at NATS. Many people do not realise the amount of effort, planning, design and testing that goes in to a MAJOR move such as this. LACC, West Drayton to Swanwick, TC to Swanwick, Heathrow Tower and NPC. Pretty much on time and I hope on budget. Well done to you all and of course your contractors.
WIDGER
WIDGER
More than just an ATCO
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Up someone's nose
Age: 75
Posts: 1,768
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Another incredible achievement by a world leader in air traffic management.
PPRuNe Bashaholic
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 1997
Location: The Peoples Alcoholic Republic of Jockistan
Posts: 1,442
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In their wisdom, they are saving everything up for a big press release campaign when Manchester ACC relocates on January 23rd. So all the news about Shanwick moving, the RAF moving, and Scottish Control moving, will have to wait till then until it is given to the public 
I would have thought there was mileage in announcing each as it happened, but not my decision.
I would have thought there was mileage in announcing each as it happened, but not my decision.
Of course, for the record, having been lightly toasted in another thread, my thoughts are also with those relocating (or not) from MACC. But let's not let that take away the recognition of other people's work.
Cheersnow
Cheersnow
Beady Eye
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 1,495
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: USA
Age: 66
Posts: 2,183
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Look BD says they ain't failed ....so they ain't roight...now back north of 55. I was looking through an old scrap book last night and came across the A Watch Christmas lunch circa 1980 in Atlantic House domestic ops room. There was a trestle table groaning with turkey and trimmings and around15 or so staff all on double time. Notables included the late Eric Colby and Norman(dear boy)....surname escapes me involved with the football team. Should I shove them on here? Let me know.
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Near VTUU or EGPX
Age: 65
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Failure = Stops working
So if it cuts out in the middle of a call it has failed.
SIMPLES, as any meerkat would say.
I believe Scottish Mil have also had a few failures since their move in early November.
So if it cuts out in the middle of a call it has failed.
SIMPLES, as any meerkat would say.
I believe Scottish Mil have also had a few failures since their move in early November.
PPRuNe Bashaholic
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 1997
Location: The Peoples Alcoholic Republic of Jockistan
Posts: 1,442
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Norman Allen was probably the football bloke 
Incidentally, it was A Watch who handed over the operation from Atlantic House and received it in the new Prestwick Centre. It will also be the combined Prestwick Centre A Watch (Scottish and Manchester) who do the Manchester transition night as well.
Had a panel reset on my first night shift and although it took about 8 seconds to reset, it took much longer for the Panel and role pages to be populated with any data as all the telephone setup had been dropped. They were initially blank so I couldn't select anything. So the RT was back quickly but it was probably another minute or so before I could get any of the phones set up. I'm not sure that a system with random dropouts which can cause loss of comms for 8 seconds and the workload of then having to set up all your phones again is really desirable for an ATC operation which could be experiencing a busy period. Someone should be talking to the manufacturer to find out what the problem with the system is and come up with a fix. There were at least 4 other dropouts during the night shift on other sectors, but we're not to worry because it's a 'feature' of the system
Incidentally, it was A Watch who handed over the operation from Atlantic House and received it in the new Prestwick Centre. It will also be the combined Prestwick Centre A Watch (Scottish and Manchester) who do the Manchester transition night as well.
Had a panel reset on my first night shift and although it took about 8 seconds to reset, it took much longer for the Panel and role pages to be populated with any data as all the telephone setup had been dropped. They were initially blank so I couldn't select anything. So the RT was back quickly but it was probably another minute or so before I could get any of the phones set up. I'm not sure that a system with random dropouts which can cause loss of comms for 8 seconds and the workload of then having to set up all your phones again is really desirable for an ATC operation which could be experiencing a busy period. Someone should be talking to the manufacturer to find out what the problem with the system is and come up with a fix. There were at least 4 other dropouts during the night shift on other sectors, but we're not to worry because it's a 'feature' of the system
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: solent-on-sea
Posts: 443
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Quite correct. Unfortunatly an engineering definition of failure doesn't coincide with an ATCO's version. As far as I'm concerned, if (or more often when) the VCCS doesn't instantly do what I want then it's failed.
Apparently the VCCS in TC will suffer 1 unit failure every 40 years....
Welcome to the year 6010.
Roll on EFD
Apparently the VCCS in TC will suffer 1 unit failure every 40 years....
Welcome to the year 6010.
Roll on EFD
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hants
Posts: 2,295
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
10W
Unfortunately, despite several software drops and numerous visits to the manufacturer, we are still experiencing problems, hell lets call them failures, at TC.
The functionality of VCCS is good, well could be good, but we still aren't cleared to use it fully yet, 2 years after the move. Reliability is a big issue and regardless of what office warriors will say, ATCOs and the engineers who have to deal with the fairly regular 'failures' think that the system has a long way to go for us to be fully confident in it - it is still doing things that it shouldn't that the engineers admit they don't understand...
Unfortunately as always, the buck stops with the ATCOs - we have to make it work because we are responsible for the safety of the aircraft. The fact we make it work despite failings (and the same can be said about AMAN), means that the project managers deem it to be a success.
EFD is the next hurdle but I understand from a colleague who I was speaking to last night that it is being pushed forward to training with no testing on any other sectors than TC North to 'keep it on schedule'.
Glad to see that the report on the failings of the project management and workstream of AMAN have been taken to heart
.
Anyhoo, enjoy the new building, at least your working environment must be nicer
Someone should be talking to the manufacturer to find out what the problem with the system is and come up with a fix.
The functionality of VCCS is good, well could be good, but we still aren't cleared to use it fully yet, 2 years after the move. Reliability is a big issue and regardless of what office warriors will say, ATCOs and the engineers who have to deal with the fairly regular 'failures' think that the system has a long way to go for us to be fully confident in it - it is still doing things that it shouldn't that the engineers admit they don't understand...
Unfortunately as always, the buck stops with the ATCOs - we have to make it work because we are responsible for the safety of the aircraft. The fact we make it work despite failings (and the same can be said about AMAN), means that the project managers deem it to be a success.
EFD is the next hurdle but I understand from a colleague who I was speaking to last night that it is being pushed forward to training with no testing on any other sectors than TC North to 'keep it on schedule'.
Glad to see that the report on the failings of the project management and workstream of AMAN have been taken to heart
.Anyhoo, enjoy the new building, at least your working environment must be nicer
Beady Eye
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 1,495
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Beady Eye
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 1,495
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BD
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: An ATC centre this side of the moon.
Posts: 1,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Looking forward to my first shift in PC tomorrow and my VCCS going tits up no doubt!!!.......I will be the lonely one sitting in the corner scratching my head Mind you looking at the synoptic chart I guess no one will be out to play anyway! 
Mind you looking at the synoptic chart I guess no one will be out to play anyway!
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: The foot of Mt. Belzoni.
Posts: 2,001
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"a fix is expected in the next software drop". 
Is GCSE English Language no longer a minimum NATS requirement? - A shame!
And Widger,
my 'toaster' wasn't even plugged in!
Is GCSE English Language no longer a minimum NATS requirement? - A shame!
And Widger,
my 'toaster' wasn't even plugged in!
Last edited by ZOOKER; 7th Dec 2009 at 19:31.