ATC EQUIP PROB DEP SEQUENCING ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT MODEL (DSEDM).

Narrative

SINCE AUG/94 SNA; ALONG WITH LAX; BUR; ONT; LGB AND SAN TWRS HAVE BEEN UTILIZING THE DEP SEQUENCING ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT MODEL (DSEDM). THIS EQUIP OPERATES THE LATEST DEP SEQUENCING PROGRAM (DSP) IN THE LOS ANGELES BASIN. UNFORTUNATELY; FROM THE LINE-USER'S PERSPECTIVE; DSEDM HAS FALLEN FAR SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS AND REPRESENTS A POTENTIALLY UNSAFE SIT. THE EQUIP AT SNA CONSISTS OF 3 IDENTICAL UNITS (TOUCH-SCREEN CRT; KEYBOARD AND TRACKBALL); LOCATED AT THE CLRNC DELIVERY 1; GND CTL AND CABIN COORDINATOR POS. WHEN CLRNC IS ISSUED; THAT CTLR ADVANCES THE FLT FROM 'PROPOSED' TO 'CLRED' STATUS. WHEN AN ACFT IS READY TO TAXI (NOT PUSHBACK); THE GND CTLR ADVANCES THE FLT TO THE 'TAXI' STATUS. AT THIS POINT THE SYS ASSIGNS THE FLT A DEP WINDOW. THE FLT AUTOMATICALLY ADVANCES TO A 'DEP LINE-UP' STATUS AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST MIN OF THE WINDOW. THE SYS AT PRESENT TAKES FAR TOO MUCH ATTN FROM THE CTLR (ESPECIALLY THE GND CTLR). IT IS THE 'HEAD DOWN' TIME THAT I BELIEVE CONSTITUTES A VERY UNSAFE SIT POTENTIAL. THE AREA SUPVR/CTLR-IN-CHARGE; DOES HAVE THE AUTH TO DISCONTINUE USE OF THE EQUIP WHEN WARRANTED; AND THIS HAS OCCURRED. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THIS DOES NOT OCCUR ENOUGH; AND THAT GND CTLRS IN PARTICULAR; MAY BE OVEREXTENDING THEMSELVES WITH THE USE OF THIS EQUIP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE MAIN PROB WITH THE SYS IS THE CTLR DISTR DUE TO HAVING TO LOOK AT THE ACFT FOR RELEASE TIMES WHEN THEY ARE BUSY. THIS EFFECTS GND CTLR MORE THAN ANY OTHER POS. PRIMARILY SEQUENCING TO THE RWY TO MEET TIMES. RPTR SAID THE SCREEN IS HARD TO READ BECAUSE OF GLARE IN THE TWR AND SMALL SCREEN. 2 UCR'S FILED. RPTR STATED THE FAA HAS TAKEN THE SYS OTS UNTIL A HUMAN FACTOR STUDY CAN BE COMPLETED.