MODE S at LACC enroute....
 

Does anyone know when it's coming?

With iFacts?????

I will let you ask the next million dollar question.......

I don't believe it was ever coming with iFacts.

The last thing we heard was that we MAY be getting a feed from the TC room to a monitor somewhere on each banana.

I'll believe it when I see it.

Winter 2012/13 to comply with european mandates. That is the current plan.

Definitely not with iFACTS.

It's a shame really, considering Mode S data has been available at the centre since 2004. I don't know why we bothered.....

The system used by LAC at Swanwick (LACC doesn't exist anymore:ok:) would needs some serious upgrade to make the Mode S data available. It's in the plan, as FDP_Walla suggests.

RS

There is no European mandate on the use of Mode S EHS :=. Last I heard it was 2010 for LAC, irrespective of iFACTS. You will at least get SFL displayed and the plan was always 'as soon as possible' with CFL/SFL checking in IFACTS or EFD.:ok:

OOPS - sorry 2012/2103 is mandate for enroute datalink.

What aspects of Mode-S are you asking about? Minesapint is correct in his statements, but if you mean Mode-S for flight Id then still a long way off.

Thats right. I am assuming its the display of downlinked airborne parameters (DAP's) that we are talking about. Aircraft ID is currently a long way off but the EEC is in the process of changing all that.

Its easy to get confused with these dates, 2012 is I understand the date for OLDI changes and some FPL changes.

Considering the equipment was mandatory 2 years ago at vast cost to operators. Its a great shame its benefits are not more widely used.

Very true. The EEC are proposing to legislate Mode S flight identity but that takes a few years. The CAA needs to push airlines and airport operators much harder - they need to play the game and provide the required ground surveillance equipment.

So if Swanwick is no longer known as LACC - London Area Control Centre, given that TC have now 'settled in' with Area Control, what does LAC stand for then?:confused:

London Area Control and London Terminal Control based at NATS Swanwick Centre.

BD

Exactly! We've been having it drummed into us that LAC and LTC are units at Swanwick Centre. They even changed the sign at the entrance to Swanwick Centre from NATS LACC to NATS Swanwick.

At least the systems are in at Prestwick for Mode S on day one - even if CAA DAP are dragging their heels on extending Mode S EHS airspace outside the LTMA.

Does that mean we end up with MAC and ScAC units at Prestwick Centre next year?:confused: (thread creep, sorry)

RS

Ok thanks for your reply BD. Wouldn't it have just been better to simply revert back to LATCC (London Area & Terminal Control Centre) once TC had been reunited with AC once again as it had been previously at West Drayton before things started to move down the M3??:}

Ok, I know West Drayton was called LTCC for a while during the transition period.........BUT It just seems a bit odd NATS have now abbreviated Swanwick to LAC when both AC and TC are both together again.

Radarspod, when you say do you mean they are telling you it is two separate units working under one roof or is it one unit working in perfect harmony with each other?:confused::E

I don't think it makes that much difference which way you look at it. From my point of view, each unit at the centre has their own airspace requirements, systems, etc. LTC and LAC watches are aligned at the centre but still seperate units (I think).

However, Swanwick as a 'centre' has a single safety team for example, covering all units at the centre (LTC, LAC & Ops engineering). It just depends on where you want to make the cut.

The point I was trying to make (badly) is that we should not be referring to Swanwick as LACC, as it isn't any more, and neither is it NERC(:ugh:) or LATCC (unless you are talking about Mil) ;)

Ok Radarspod thanks, that makes things a little clearer now. Blimey, seems a bit of a head scratcher even for NATS employees and I don't even work for them!:p:confused::p

LATCC Mil I assume, continue to operate at Swanwick as they did in the MASOR at West Drayton?

Yup, me too never liked that 'NERC' name they originally gave it! Its a word more commonly used to have a dig a some one isn't it? U know, 'You NERC!' :}:E:}:E

No because ScACC and MACC close and amalgamate into Prestwick Centre as a single unit with a common Method of Operations.

BD

yup, the maccites and scaccites are all going to turn up on day one and say, "we're doing it our way" :}:}

Probably not until NAS has been totally replaced - there may be a period when MAC is on NAS and ScAC is on the new system. There's not much point in coming up with a common MOPS if there is going to be a divergence within a year or so!
Wasn't there a thread dedicated to this subject?

Sorry but you've lost me here :confused: PC Ops room has NAS, NODE, SIRS, VCCS etc throughout, hence a single MOPS. NAS isn't going to be replaced for quite some time and that replacement is iTEC.

BD