Impact of Shutting Down En Route Primary Radars within CONUS Interior
Abstract
The impact on the Air Traffic ControL (ATC) operations resulting from the shutdown of all en route primary radars (except for ARSR-4s) within the CONUS interior will result in toss of real-time weather data and aircraft skin tracking, over 33 percent primary surveillance toss of coverage in the CONUS, and an increase in the accident rate of one accident in 11 years as predicted on recent statistics. The report concludes that real-time weather data, white of Limited quality, must be retained until it can be replaced by data from the NEXRAD weather radar or other weather data source. Ability to track non- transponder equipped aircraft is significant but less critical and can be minimized by other system improvements. These include: better beacon radar (Node S) in combination with Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS); increased transponder equipage; reduced altitude for non-transponder equipped aircraft to 10 thousand feet; increased DF network to 370 sites; and better siting of beacon-only antennas. Based on current availability, projections (derived from Capital Investment Plan (CIP) schedules), the most feasible en route primary radar shutdown date is the year 2008. if weather data from external sources can be made available on controllers' displays before that time (for example, by 1998 when ISSS is installed), that data can be advanced.... Primary radar, Mode S, CONUS Coverage, NEXRAD, Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS), ATC Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS) .
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA268273
Entities
People
- Janis Vilcans
Organizations
- John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center