DSC Report
by Stan Enns
The motion pictures about ATC automation are still being produced. Here are a few previews. Some will go on to win Oscars. Some will be in your video store next week.
CAATS (the movie, not the musical) is still shooting on the West
Coast. Whether or not it can successfully step from stage to the
big screen remains to be seen. The producers seem confident. The
critics have their thumbs in reserve.
The OIDS experts in Ottawa have found the cause of the numerous
OIDS failures, which all Centers have been experiencing. They
hope to release new software in the next few weeks to fix the
problem.
The Fort McMurray RAMP radar will be added to Winnipeg's RDPS.
The database is already in place and testing should begin in
early December.
Two more Radio Re-Transmit Units (RRTU) are being installed. One
each in Ontario and Saskatchewan specialties. They take a pilot's
transmission on one frequency and simultaneously re-transmit it
on other frequencies, depending on which scenario the controller
has selected. The intent is to reduce pilot transmissions
stepping on each other. The North specialty has been using one
for a few months already.
A team, headed by Price Waterhouse personnel, will be visiting
the Center on Nov. 27 and 28 to interview Winnipeg staff as part
of their study on the technical support functions in ACCs. It
will be examining the roles of the DSC, TDM, technician and their
various managers.
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