FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 14, 2000
Contact: Arlene Salac
Tel.: (718) 553-3015
DOT 136-00
U.S. Transportation Secretary Slater Dedicates Final Host and Display System Replacement Installation
LEESBURG, Va. -- U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater and Federal Aviation Administrator Jane F. Garvey today marked the completion of the most visible phase of the Clinton administration’s effort to modernize the nation’s air traffic control system by dedicating the 20th and final installation of new Display System Replacement (DSR) hardware and supporting computers.
“DSR is the cornerstone in building the airspace system of the 21st century,” Secretary Slater said. “Safety is President Clinton and Vice President Gore’s highest transportation priority, and this final dedication of DSR makes good on our commitment to the American people for the safest, most secure and efficient airspace system, capable of meeting the challenges of the new century and the new millennium.”
The last system in the $1.05 billion Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) program to replace older computers and displays was dedicated in a midday ceremony at the Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center in Leesburg, Va.The ceremony itself included rank-and-file controllers and technicians who helped install the system and organize the transition to the new technology.
“The FAA has successfully completed a major element of its air traffic control modernization program, on time and within its budget,” Administrator Garvey said. “Now, controllers who handle long-distance flights have modern tools that can be upgraded as needed to help deal with the strong growth in air traffic. We have the best, the most modern and the safest air traffic control system in the world and it’s due in large part to the hard work and dedication of all those who helped us complete this important task.”
The DSR replaced 20- to 30-year-old monochrome radar screens with modern color displays, “windows” systems for controllers and modern data processing technology. The DSR has greater speed and capacity than the system it replaced and it raises the bar on safety through increased reliability, availability and maintainability. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for the system
The DSR is the first major component of the modernization of the nation's enroute air traffic control system infrastructure. The DSR provides an open architecture that can accommodate the software upgrades and new technologies that make up the evolving ATC system. Software upgrades include weather display enhancements to improve safety, and technology tools to deal with growing air traffic.
New Host computers, which came on line slightly before the displays, replaced rooms full of older, far less capable hardware no longer supported by the manufacturer. The Hosts process incoming data and provide it to the new DSR multicolor displays that in turn provide controllers with a lighter, brighter work environment and far more capable tools for managing the growing volume of high-altitude traffic across the country.
The open architecture also means that DSR will be a cost-effective platform for future upgrades to air traffic control capabilities. Host and DSR have extremely high reliability rates, significantly improved maintainability and more complete backup systems.
The major components of DSR consist of commercial-off-the-shelf parts that can be purchased in the electronics marketplace. Replacement components will "technologically refresh" the DSR when commercial items become obsolete or can no longer be supported and maintained.
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