EFD for LTC/Prestwick
 

Hi

Can anyone tell me when EFD is now scheduled to be introduced at LTC and Prestwick (if it hasn't been already?).

Thanks

Here we go!......................................................... ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................:E

OK, I'll bite, but not being on the project team, this is just my guesstimate.

Some time between September and November 2012.

Last I heard they were trying to get it in for Summer 2012. At Prestwick anyway.

Hopefully never. Sadly management won't listen to the majority of shop-floor controllers and are still determined to get EFD implemented eventually.

I've not found the EFD to be user friendly, and much harder to use for live traffic than paper strips.

jackieofalltrades last post is interesting, surely the controller's 'union' should take this up at their forthcoming conference.
Wait a minute, what's this.........?

'Whilst we appreciate that EFD is not seen by the membership as a forward step, it is here to stay".

Fighting talk indeed!

GM LTCC told us several months ago EFD would not be coming to TC in it's present form. Being cynical that could mean we'll just paint the box a different colour, or just perhaps he meant it, as everyone knows it's not fit for purpose. Only time will tell.

It now has a slightly different form than several months ago.

But everyone has to be on electronic flight data of some description in not too many years, can't carry on with a 40 year old system which doesn't allow the machine and the human to work together.
Since the TC1 project is planning to move LTC onto the new workstations, with electronic data, supposedly in 2014, I'm failing to see how there would be time to develop a new electronic system (never mind test and train it) given that EFD took 4 years and iFACTS took 13! But perhaps I'm just missing the whole 'Performance through Innovation' thing for 'NATS Airspace'. Smacks suspiciously to me like 'work smarter not harder' :E

BD

BD,
Will EFD2 sectors communicate electronically with other EFD2 sectors?
If so will this be confined to the same LAG, the same unit or will it operate between EFD equipped units?
Will EFD2 communicate electronically with iFACTS?
Will it communicate electronically with iTEC? Or will there still be a requirement for FRED?
Will EFD2, iTEC and iFACTS all communicate electronically with EFPS? Or will FRED still be required as a backup, (sorry, 'fallback')? :E

Perhaps if we're all to have a common workstation and data input/display/processing, should we not start by adopting the same method of operation? Or is that putting the bleeding obvious before the large equine creature?

You need to define 'communicate but if you mean electronic coordination the answer is yes.
The 'blocker' in all cases is yea venerable olde NAS. All of the WEE LAGs will be able to use electronic coordination but not with W2 because of the pseudo OLDI boundary. Once we get onto iTEC that limitation will eventually disappear.
Different systems with different interface protocols, the joined up bit in the middle will be iTEC and I don't know when they'll be able to 'talk' to each other or how much they'll understand. Probably not much until iTEC gets beyond infancy into toddler stage.
Dunno what FRED is but as you'll have inferred from my previous replies iTEC is/will be the common interface.
See answer above. EFD2, iFACTS and EFPS all communicate with NAS, iTEC will replace that aged beastie.

BD

Crikey, you're a bit of an anarchistic revolutionary! Since we can't even get the two PC sides of the house on the same MOPS the chances of getting LTC and LAC welded together is slim.
As Martin Luther King said "I have a dream!" but just like NATS he didn't have a plan :}

BD

"if you mean electronic coordination the answer is yes".
So EFD2 is designed to eliminate the role of the 'Planner' ATCO as well as the sector assistant? Interesting........:E

No to both. There are still ATSAs because EFD only eliminates the donkey work of physically putting paper strips in holders and carrying them to the ATCO, all of the other ATSA tasks still exist and need doing.
It was a specific request of the ATCO EFD improvements working group that EFD include forward coordination and it won't eliminate Planners but it does reduce phone calls.

BD

BD - I'm quite sure EFD 1 + 2 does not communicate with NAS. Listens, maybe, but does not talk back (A management dream!!!!) :}

Or am I wrong?

You're not wrong, EFD doesn't do two way (other than LAMs), sorry my clumsy wording gave the wrong impression :8

BD

And sometimes it doen't even listen.