Confidential Information Share Program Helps Complete the Picture
Thursday, October 25, 2012

By Micah Maziar (Toledo)
National Safety Committee, Combined Tower/TRACON Representative
micah@mzwp.com


As safety professionals, we take pride in seeing the entire picture, or having “the flick.”

However, when safety events happen, we may not have all of the information that would allow us to understand why these events occur.

By joining with the FAA Air Traffic Organization (ATO) and partner airlines, NATCA now has a tool that helps complete the picture -- the Confidential Information Share Program (CISP). CISP sets the framework for de-identified safety event information to be shared between our Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP) and our partner airlines’ Air Safety Action Plan (ASAP) programs.

Currently, ATSAP has partnered with eight airlines’ ASAP offices. As of September 2012, United, Southwest, American, Spirit, Chautauqua, Frontier, Republic and Shuttle America have joined the program.

To date, over 3,700 pilot reports have been received through CISP. Some of these reports reveal issues controllers did not know existed until the data was received.

For example, a report was received from a flight crew at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) regarding hold short lines that were moved to accommodate the A380. The relocation of the hold short lines resulted in less room between Runways 25L and 25R. This was not an issue unless the aircraft holding in between the runways was a Boeing 747. When holding short of one runway, it was possible for the tail of the aircraft to be across the hold short lines of the other runway. Through communication of the ASAP report through CISP, the issue resulted in increased awareness of the limitations that led to closer monitoring of the area when a B747 was holding between the runways.


Before: FMS indicating crossing BUZZY at or above 11000.

*!FDC 1/0568 RDU FI/T STAR RALEIGH-DURHAM INTL, RALEIGH/DURHAM NC.  RASKL ONE ARRIVAL...CHANGE ALTITUDE ASSOCIATED WITH BUZZY TO.. AT 11000 FEET VICE AT OR ABOVE 11000 FEET*

When these ASAP reports are correlated with ATSAP data, we are able to accomplish even more.

At Raleigh-Durham (RDU), multiple ATSAP and ASAP reports identified an issue regarding confusion on the RASKL1 Arrival. When issued clearances to cross BUZZY intersection “at 11,000,” flight crews were following the aircraft’s Flight Management System (FMS) which was programmed to cross the fix “at or above 11,000” because that is the published restriction. In many instances, the flight crews failed to comply with the crossing restriction.

Through CISP, the parties were able to address the issue by initiating a Letter of Agreement (LOA) between Washington Center (ZDC) and RDU, modifying the crossing restriction through the issuance of a Flight Data Center (FDC) NOTAM, and bringing attention to the issue through an ASAP publication provided to the flight crews.


After: FDC NOTAM addressing the issue.

*!FDC 1/0568 RDU FI/T STAR RALEIGH-DURHAM INTL, RALEIGH/DURHAM NC.  RASKL ONE ARRIVAL...CHANGE ALTITUDE ASSOCIATED WITH BUZZY TO.. AT 11000 FEET VICE AT OR ABOVE 11000 FEET*

CISP has also streamlined the ability to eliminate similar sounding call signs for the partner airlines. Once ATSAP events occur regarding similar sounding call signs, immediate notification is provided to the airline resulting in awareness of the problem and a change to the call signs.

These are just three examples of how sharing information helps bring resolution to safety events and system issues. Many times, however, ATSAP will receive ASAP reports filed by pilots regarding Traffic Collision Avoidance System- Resolution Advisory (TCAS-RAs), clearance problems, and pilot and/or controller mistakes, but will not have a corresponding ATSAP report.

It is essential that we file ATSAP reports for every safety event that we witness in the NAS. Gathering this data and correlating it with reports through CISP can allow us to mitigate safety issues more quickly because we have a more complete picture.

Help ATSAP keep “the flick.” File ATSAP reports for every safety event.