ETAP V2.0.X

This page was updated on 04/01/2008

Enroute Traffic Analysis Program (ETAP)

The Position Classification Standard requires counting of aircraft worked in a fashion different then the old FAA Order 7210.3 count (Office of Policy and Planning aka APO Count). This leaves us with two counting processes required:

1) The old APO count (7210.3) and

2) the Position Classification Standard (Reclass count). Enroute Facilities currently use ETAP for their Position Classification Standard counts and must report this data via HAME tapes.

Position Classification Standard data is used to determine ATC levels while APO data is used for Airport Improvement monies and Agency staffing models.

Is your Adaptation Correct???

It is important each facility verify their adaptation information contained in their facility profile data. Any bad profile information such as, but not limited to, Non-approach airports or an incorrect adapted altitude can cause your CI to be inaccurate.

It is important that facilities verify their profile and adaptation information as described in the users manual. You will want to do this before you process data. If you find a change after you have processed the data you will need to complete the form in the back of the Users Manual, forward the form as required and obtain a new release of ETAP and then re-process your data.

Go to the users manual and read up on the following in detail:

Verify Profile and Adaptation Information

It is critical that the Profile and Adaptation information contained in ETAP is accurate. Verify all information BEFORE processing any data in ETAP.

Profile Data

To view the facility profile data select Profile Data from the View pull-down menu.

The Profile Data screen will be displayed.

The facility profile provides general information on the facility, such as ID, Name, Region, Type, Description, and Computer ID. It also provides the Profile Version and the date that the Profile was last updated. Four items in the Profile are used when calculating a CI:

	The low and high airspace are averaged and that value is used to calculate the Density Add-on.
	The number of foreign facilities that a center interacts with determines the Foreign Add-on. (Number will not exceed 3)
	If a center is eligible for the Mountainous Terrain Add-on it is indicated here.

Adaptation Data

To view the facility Adaptation data select Adaptation from the View pull-down menu.

A window with seven radio buttons will be displayed. Select a radio button to review the data in the corresponding table.


	Non-Approach Control Airports is a list of all airports that the center has adapted in HOST and are not within an approach control.
	VFR Adapted Altitude is the altitude that is adapted in HOST for VFR. Flight plans for aircraft with an assigned altitude of VFR OTP and flight plans entered using a "VP" flight plan or will show this altitude as the assigned altitude.
	CERAP Facilities is a list of those facilities that are "hosted" by a domestic center but are actually a enroute facility themselves. Most centers will not have an entry in this table.
	Operational Sectors is a list of all sectors within the center that work live traffic. Tracks started at any position not listed in this table will be rejected by ETAP.
	Fringe Airports is a list of airports that are within an approach control and are either outside, or partially outside of center airspace. The majority of arrivals/departures worked by the center from airports in this list are transferred/received directly from the approach control. Airports that are "hosted" by your center should not be included in this list.
	Jet Type Aircraft is the table that ETAP uses to determine if an aircraft is a jet or prop.
	Military Radar Units is a list of MRU’s where the center has the capability of automated track transfer.

ETAP users are not given the capability to change Profile or Adaptation information within the program. If any information is incorrect, use the form provided in Appendix 1 to request changes.

Other ETAP Program stuff for Domestic ARTCCs

All ARTCCs will need to set up access to the Intra-net for their ETAP Focals.

Here are some much needed files for ETAP Focals. Check back often we'll use this site to try to supply you what you need.

I have included the ETAP Documentation (3 files). You will need the Users Guide, 7210.57 and Manual Augmentation Guide. Also listed below is the Position Classification Standard (with break points) and the 7210.57 Traffic Count Order.

These are large files (most won't fit on a floppy) but they are very well done and an absolute requirement for ETAP Focals and Regional Coordinators.

I would like to thank beyond thanks; the National Validation Team (ETAP) members for their tireless dedication to making these documents superb and making an old "track file data base", aka HAME; talk to ETAP.

If you know any of these people, or you don't, or if you see them, don't see them, talk to them, heard of them or whatever....say "thanks" for their tireless, and thorough efforts. You can also drop them an email by clicking below. Don't beat them up on the standard...that wasn't their mission. They were simply tasked with making apple pie (ETAP V2.0) using only peaches (HAME data) and validate CIs. They had direction to not worry or even bother with what the CI was....just get it right so we could take our beating and move forward. Here they are:

Tom Meints Seattle Center Supe

Mike Riley Seattle Center Controller

Tom Roberts Boston Center Controller

Mike Edmonds Boston Center Controller

Cris Johnson Chicago Tracon Parser Developer and C90 Controller

Bill Peery ATX 20

and

Mark Dawson Parser Developer ZFW

ETAP Version 2.0.X is a bridge to version 3.0 "data offload/Parser" that will make the requirements of manual augmentation a temporary necessity to truly get an accurate CI. Of course it is important to manually augment correctly too. See the examples in the Manual Augmentation Guide and make sure you set up procedures to follow the instructions on who to augment and who not to. Keep some paper/electronic trail.

If you have a problem with the program make sure you've read the users guide and then email the question/problem to MSDT at 9-AWA-MSDT@faa.gov or call Matt Dunne (MSDT) at (202) 385-4744. Also, copy Bill Peery ATX 20 and Jeff Walukonis so we can have the ETAP NVT help. NATCA Focals should also participate on the .net BBS under the ETAP Topic for the details on current program issues and solutions of other ETAP Users. If you need help, want to talk to another facility to see how their doing or need assistance from the ETAP NVT contact them at etap_contacts.xls

Anyway....thanks to the NVT, here are the 3 ETAP supplemental files:

ETAP Users Guide for ETAP Version 2.0.X (zipped 1.3 meg)

ETAP Manual Augmentation Guide (unzipped; zipping it only knocks off 200K size is 1.3 meg)

FAA 7210.57 supplemental order (tiny file 27kb)

Here is the Position Classification Standard and the 7210.57 Traffic Count Order

Position Classification Standard (Break Points are in the back of this document)

FAA 7210.57

How long will we have to do the Manual Count?? See the following email sent to ETAP focals:

ETAP Focals, Please show this to your FACREPs and Post this in all Host equipped ARTCCs:

As facilities are working through implementation of the Manual Augmentation Guide please understand this is an interim bridge to ETAP 3.0.

Let me explain.

There is a alpha/beta project currently under way by the joint Parser Installation Team (PIT) that takes radar data and counts aircraft in accordance with the Position Classification Standard and the 7210.57 Traffic Count order.

In San Juan CERAP (ZSU), Anchorage Center (ZAN) and Honolulu Consolidated Facility (HCF) the PIT is testing data from the Micro EARTS Program to process the data and determine a Classification Index (CI). This 3 Dimensional logic driven program, accompanied with Radar data is much superior compared to ETAP and a Host System that generates only "Track Information" (starts/drops). The Micro Earts Parser program is superior because it uses "Radar data" instead of Track File Data (HAME) to process the operation.

This Micro EARTS parser provides data that is much superior to HAME data provided by Host Equipped ARTCCs. The Micro EARTS Parser Program is currently under final development by the Parser Installation Team (PIT). This program actually "sees" the radar returns from the Aircraft and "knows" where sector boundaries are. This program can capture the aircraft in accordance with the Position Classification Standard and APO/Opsnet without Manual Augmentation.

The Parser project is under initial alpha development and testing at San Juan CERAP, Honolulu CCF, Anchorage Center, Philadelphia, Birmingham and Pensacola.

Additional Information

If you have any other information you want to see here; send an email to me at NATCA@Bellsouth.net and include the subject ETAP. Also, if you are the ETAP Focal for your facility and have a question about the program or any validation you recently completed send it to Mark Dawson with a copy to Jeff Walukonis. Mark is also available under ETAP on NATCA.net.

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