ARTS IIE (FA-9020)

The Automated Radar Terminal System (ARTS) gathers flight data from surveillance sensors, process them, and present the data to air traffic controllers located in terminal radar approach facilities and control towers. Used at smaller airports, ARTS IIE provides information for as many as 22 controller displays and two surveillance sensor inputs.

ARTS II (generally) is a programmable, nontracking, computer-aided display subsystem capable of modular expansion. ARTS II systems provide a level of automated air traffic control capability at terminals having low to medium activity. Flight identification and altitude may be associated with the display of secondary radar targets. The system has the capability of communicating with ARTCCs and other ARTS II, IIA, III, and IIIA facilities.

SYSTEM FUNCTIONAL OVERVIEW.

The ARTS IIE is a microprocessor based common processing system and subsystem with a PC based peripheral which is used as a system monitor and workstation. The ARTS IIE provides the first level of terminal automation to airports having low to medium levels of AT density. The system processes transponder replies received from the secondary radar system to determine the aircraft identity, range, altitude and speed. By combining the radar data with the operational program processed data, flight plans, and key-board entries, a coherent synthetic A/N presentation, along with aural alarms, SMC PC System Monitor (SYSMON) window and Echo printer printouts, is provided for the ATC and for maintenance functions.

INTERFACE CAPABILITIES.

The ARTS IIE has the following interface capabilities:

• Primary Radars (ASR-3,4,5,6,7,8,9)
• Secondary Radars (ATCBI-3, 4,5 MODE-S)
• Radar Microwave (RML-M 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
• Secondary Radar Performance Monitor
• Secondary Radar De-fruiter
• Video Mapper (FA-5100/A, FA-5400/A, FA-5450/A, FA-8049, FA-8970, AN/GPA-30, AN/GPA-91, AN/ GPA-131)
• Data Transmission (2400 bit/sec.)
• DBRITE

The primary radar video and trigger may be interfaced directly from the radar transmitter site via coaxial landline (uncompensated mode), through a Radar Microwave Link (RML), a fiber optics system, video compression system, or a line compensation unit (compensated mode). The video signals are amplified by one of two possible channels internal to the APC and distributed via a serial coaxial cable to the individual displays for presentation on a Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT).

The secondary radar video and trigger may be received in an identical manner as the primary video, but in addition to amplification, the DDAS performs certain hardware processing on each return before distribution to the individual displays. The incoming secondary information contains mode pulses P1 and P3 whose pulse spacing of 8-microseconds or 21 microseconds determines whether the aircraft reply is identity (Mode 3/A) or altitude (Mode C) respectively. Individual aircraft replies contain a starting bracket pulse F1 and an ending bracket pulse F2. Between the bracket pulses are a series of 0.46 microsecond-wide pulses, each separated by 1.45 microseconds which represent the assigned aircraft code or barometric altitude.

The digital information consists of four pulse groups of three pulses per group, for a possibility of 4096 discrete codes. Two additional pulse code positions are available: the R pulse located midpoint between the bracket pulses and the Special Position Indicator (SPI) pulse located 4.35 microseconds after F2. Also certain aircraft codes receive special treatment in the DDAS, and create a unique video presentation on all displays when detected. These codes are: 7700 for air-craft emergency, 7600 for aircraft radio failure, and 7500 for aircraft hijack.

Besides code detection and separate broadband video distribution to each display, the DDAS beacon video, quantized and decoded, is transmitted to the Data Acquisition Device Controller/Processor (DADCP) for further processing. The DADCP processes the replies into target report store messages and forwards them to the computer for additional processing. After processing by the computer, the beacon report is sent to the Display Device Controller Processor (DDCP) for presentation on the RADS or DBRITE. By comparing the target information to the available data base, the SP generates a tag for every aircraft and makes the tag information available to individual displays upon request. The tag may be shown as a single symbol only or a single symbol, leader, and Limited Data Block (LDB) or Full Data Block (FDB). The LDB consists of two lines. The first line being Mode 3A beacon code and the second line being Mode C reported altitude. The FDB consists of three lines. Information which may be contained is: aircraft identity, altitude, altitude modifier (if assigned by controller), ground speed, special designator, and alert (CA, Low Altitude (LA) or both). The display A/N presentation also includes preview, TAB, and system display areas. The SP data base used to derive A/N information receives data from an ARTCC via inter-facility communication, or keyboard entries from the AT controller.

When the ARTS IIE is using the ModeS/ASR-9 Serial interface, the Sensor Interface Software (SIFS), surveillance processing function within the SP will collect beacon report messages, beacon Real-Time Quality Control (RTQC) messages, sector mark messages, and system status messages. The radar shall send messages on any one of up to three digital data links as a series of Common Digitizer (CD) 2 format message fields. These CD format messages are sent directly to the SP subsystem of the APC via the APC external connector panel through a VCOM-54, serial interface controller Circuit Card Assembly (CCA). The SIFS surveillance processing function will reformat the target data and transmit it to target report store for additional processing by track processing in the SP The DDAS will provide backup processing of beacon input data in the event that the digital target data becomes unreliable.

ARTS IIE (RADAR Alphanumeric Display)
Duluth (MN) TRACON (KDLH)

Although the display appears orange in daylight, in the dark the display is light green characters on a dark green field. Note the tan tray with the blue trim piece to the right of the keyboard. It is the tray for the drop-tube from the tower. Departing aircraft Flight Progress Strips in plastic holders (like the one in front of the RAD) are dropped down a tube from the co-located tower and picked up from this tray by the Departure Controller.

ARTS IIE Keyboard in Daylight
Duluth (MN) ATCT (KDLH)

This keyboard is located at the tower BRITE. Note the BRITE video control panel visible just beneath the keyboard.

ARTS IIE Keyboard Illuminated

Quick Links

• FAA Order 6190.19 MAINTENANCE OF THE AUTOMATED RADAR TERMINAL SYSTEM (ARTS IIE) (.pdf)