CVG CTLR DESCRIBED THE LONG TERM ISSUANCE OF DISCRETE CODE TO CERTAIN FREQUENT AIRSPACE USES THAT CAUSE CLUTTER AND CONFLICT ALERTS.

Date: 2005-08

Anomalies: other-assigned-discrete-codes

Synopsis

CVG CTLR DESCRIBED THE LONG TERM ISSUANCE OF DISCRETE CODE TO CERTAIN FREQUENT AIRSPACE USES THAT CAUSE CLUTTER AND CONFLICT ALERTS.

Narrative

CVG MGMNT HAS ISSUED DISCRETE BEACON CODES TO RESCUE AND POLICE HELIS. THEY SQUAWK THESE CODES EVEN WHEN THEY ARE OUTSIDE OUR AIRSPACE AND NOT REQUESTING ATC SVCS. BECAUSE THEY ARE ON DISCRETE CODES; THEY CONTINUALLY ACTIVATE CONFLICT ALERT ALARMS WITH EVERY VFR ACFT THEY COME CLOSE TO. IN ADDITION; THESE EXTRA TAGS ALSO CLUTTER THE RADAR DISPLAY AND MAKE READING YOUR OWN TAGS VERY DIFFICULT. WITH THE NEW 'STARS' EQUIPMENT; THE LEADER DIRECTION OF THE TAGS AUTOMATICALLY 'FLOP' AROUND TO AVOID OVERLAPS. BOTH OF THESE SITS CAUSE UNNEEDED DISTRS. ALSO; BECAUSE THERE ARE CONSTANT CONFLICT ALERT AURAL ALARMS SOUNDING; ATC CTLRS BECOME CONDITIONED TO DISREGARD THEM. THEY ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A NUISANCE -- UNTIL A 'REAL' ALARM GOES DISREGARDED. FOR SOME REASON THE MGMNT AT CVG WILL NOT CORRECT THIS SIT. IT IS REAL AND DANGEROUS. IF ONE OF THESE HELIS REQUESTS ATC SVC; IT IS NO PROB TO GIVE THEM A BEACON CODE AND TAG THEM UP INDIVIDUALLY. OTHERWISE; THEY ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A DISTR TO ALREADY BUSY ATC CTLRS.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.