DVT CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE TWR RADAR DISPLAY AFTER THE DOD INITIATED UPGRADES TO THE STARS SYS.

Narrative

ON NOV/FRI/06; THE STANDARD TERMINAL AUTOMATION REPLACEMENT SYS (STARS) WAS CHANGED DURING AN UPGRADE MADE BY THE DOD TO THEIR RADAR SYS. DEER VALLEY'S STARS IS SLAVED OFF OF LUKE AFB RADAR. THE UPGRADE CHANGED THE PRIMARY TARGETS AND HISTORY TRAILS FROM GREEN TO BLUE. IN THE TWR ENVIRONMENT THE BLUE IS BARELY VISIBLE DUE TO THE SUNLIGHT AND NOT VISIBLE AT ALL WHEN WEARING SUNGLASSES. THE PRIMARY TARGETS ARE WEAKER AND MANY ACFT ARE NOT PICKED UP BY THE RADAR. SINCE THIS UPGRADE HAS TAKEN PLACE; WE ALSO ARE EXPERIENCING MANY DROPPED SECONDARY TARGETS RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF ACFT ALT AND AIRSPD DATA. DEER VALLEY ATCT IS A VFR TWR WITH RADAR WORKING APPROX 400000 OPS A YEAR. THE STARS EQUIP IS AN IMPORTANT SAFETY TOOL THAT IS USED TO VERIFY LOCATION OF ACFT; ALT AND AIRSPD. THE CHANGES MADE BY THE DOD TO THE RADAR SYS HAS COMPROMISED THE SAFETY AT DEER VALLEY. THE MAJORITY OF TFC AT DEER VALLEY IS STUDENT PLTS AND UNFAMILIAR TRANSIT ACFT. WE RELY HEAVILY ON THE STARS EQUIP TO VERIFY THE LOCATION; ALT AND AIRSPD OF TFC IN ORDER TO ISSUE ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS; SEQUENCING AND MOST IMPORTANT; SAFETY ALERTS TO ACFT IN CLOSE PROX TO EACH OTHER WHEN THEY ARE NOT VISIBLE FROM THE TWR. WITH RADAR VERIFICATION OF AN ACFT'S LOCATION; ALT AND AIRSPD; ACCURATE AND SPECIFIC TFC CAN BE ISSUED BY THE CTLR. THE LOSS OF PRIMARY TARGETS; SECONDARY DATA BLOCKS AND INABILITY TO SEE THE BLUE PRIMARY TARGETS AND HISTORY TRAILS COMPROMISES SAFETY AT DEER VALLEY. WITH THE HUGE VOLUME OF TFC WORKED AT DEER VALLEY ARPT; IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT THE DOD RADAR EQUIP CHANGES WOULD REDUCE THE RELIABILITY OF SUCH AN IMPORTANT SAFETY TOOL USED TO PREVENT ACFT ACCIDENTS. THE DOD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO CHANGE THE UPGRADE USING GREEN INSTEAD OF BLUE PRIMARY TARGETS AND CORRECT THE LOSS OF PRIMARY TARGETS AND SECONDARY DATA BLOCKS FROM STARS FACILITIES.