7210.56C

8/15/02

 

CHAPTER 6.  SEVERITY INDEX

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6-1-1.     DEFINITIONS

6-1-2.     SEVERITY CLASSIFICATIONS

6-1-3.     FINAL SEVERITY CLASSIFICATIONS

6-1-4.     RADAR OE SEVERITY INDEX EN-ROUTE CHART

6-1-5.     RADAR OE SEVERITY INDEX TERMINAL AND EN-ROUTE SINGLE SITE CHART

6-1-1.  DEFINITIONS

a.        Severity Index: a method to determine the gravity, or degree that the separation standard was violated, for operational errors that occur in-flight.

 b.        Operational Error/Operational Deviation Steering Committee: as established by Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to address national quality assurance issues contained within this order and other matters including, but not limited to, trend analysis, program effectiveness, compliance, and ongoing positive efforts.  The committee meets as necessary to review and address quality assurance matters. The steering committee is comprised of two representatives from NATCA and two representatives from AAT-20.

 c.        Controlled Event: an operational error where the employee was aware of the impending conflict and takes corrective action to increase the separation.

 d.        Uncontrolled Event: an operational error where the employee was unaware of the conflict takes no corrective action and/or became aware of the conflict but did not have enough time to effectively mitigate the loss of separation.

 e.        Technical Violation: Operational errors that are classified as low severity and all operational deviations or operational errors that cannot be reviewed by radar data or a playback tool will be initially classified as a low severity if all indications are that 80% minima was maintained.

6-1-2.  SEVERITY CLASSIFICATIONS

a.        Airborne operational errors that can be reviewed by a playback tool will be classified by AAT-20 as high, moderate, or low severity.

b.        Any dispute regarding the value of any component specific to an event shall be elevated to the OE/OD Steering Committee. The committee will attempt to resolve all disputes within 10 days of elevation.  Should the parties not agree, the parties are free to pursue whatever course of action is available to them under the collective bargaining agreement and the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute.

6-1-3.  FINAL SEVERITY CLASSIFICATIONS

a.        Facility managers shall ensure that radar OE’s in domestic airspace are investigated in enough depth to accurately report closest proximity distances. The distances recorded with Operational Error Detection Program (OEDP) alerts in Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC) and conflict alert printouts in terminal radar approach controls (TRACON) may not necessarily be the same as those values derived from analysis of radar plots or any playback tool.  Consequently, radar extractions through National Track Analysis Program (NTAP) and Continuous Data Recording (CDR) are required to accurately determine those distances.  With this in mind, facility personnel are required to supply radar and voice data to AAT-200 as soon as possible.  Several methods of transferring extracted radar and voice data are available.  An AAT-200 file transfer protocol (FTP://172.22.8.31) secured intranet site has been established so any facility can post digital data for efficient transfer of requested information.  Also, an AAT-200 dedicated post office box (address 7-AWA-AAT-210) has been established to receive digital data.  Additionally, overnight parcel express is also available and occasionally printed data may be faxed to AAT-200 (202-267-7389 or 9356) that will enable investigators to assess each event.   This data needs to be prepared in one of several different forms as listed below.  Any question regarding what data and what is the best transfer method should be directed to AAT-200 at 202-267-7010 or 9569.

b.        For all En-Route Facilities (ARTCC), prepare a SATORI, with voice, on each OE within 72 business hours of the event and place the SATORI on the AAT-200 SATORI network server, SATORI directory.  Name each file using the facility identification, error number, sector number and video map name/number, e.g., ZXX_00_002_r35_35.  Each ATD shall ensure facility personnel are proficient at placing SATORI files on the AAT-200 server.  If unable to prepare a SATORI in this time frame, forward a chronology, and an NTAP to AAT-200 as soon as possible via the agreed upon method.  The NTAP shall comply with FAA Order 7210.56 requirements and shall contain LST 5 data for target coordinates.  Target coordinates are necessary for distance calculations when the SATORI playback is not available.

c.        For TRACON’s, on each OE within 72 business hours of the event, perform a CDR extraction via the PC-Editor using only the time and sensor filters.  ARTSIIIA systems use data classes TD and TG; and ARTSIIE and IIIE systems CR, TA, TU, and TG data classes.  Save the extraction as a single text file.  This data shall be posted on the AAT-200 file transfer protocol (FTP://172.22.8.31) secured intranet site within 72 business hours.  Voice segments should be prepared in digital form as a WAV file and sent electronically as a voice re-recording with time channel, sent overnight to AAT‑200, or recorded over the telephone as requested by AAT-200. 

6-1-4.  RADAR OE SEVERITY INDEX EN-ROUTE CHART

VERTICAL SEPARATION
1,000 feet required

POINTS

HORIZONTAL SEPARATION*
5-mile separation requirement

POINTS

Less than 500 feet

25

Less than ˝ mile

25

500 feet to 599 feet

20

˝ mile to 0.999 mile

25

600 feet to 699 feet

16

1 mile to 1.499 miles

24

700 feet to 799 feet

12

1.5 miles to 2 miles

24

800 feet to 899 feet

6

2 miles to 2.499 miles

23

900 feet to 999 feet

2

2.5 miles to 2.999 miles

22

VERTICAL SEPARATION
2,000 feet required

POINTS

3 miles to 3.499 miles

20

Less than 500 feet

25

3.5 miles to 3.999 miles

16

500 feet to 599 feet

25

4 miles to 4.499 miles

10

600 feet to 699 feet

24

4.5 miles to 4.999 miles

5

700 feet to 799 feet

24

CLOSURE RATE

POINTS

800 feet to 899 feet

23

700 knots and greater

10

900 feet to 999 feet

22

300 knots to 699 knots

8

1,000 feet to 1,099 feet

20

100 knots to 299 knots

6

1,100 feet to 1,199 feet

18

Less than 100 knots

4

1,200 feet to 1,299 feet

16

FLIGHT PATHS

POINTS

1,300 feet to 1,399 feet

14

Converging - Opposite Courses

20

1,400 feet to 1,499 feet

12

Converging – Crossing Course

18

1,500 feet to 1,599 feet

10

Same Course

10

1,600 feet to 1,699 feet

8

Diverging/Non-Intersecting

0

1,700 feet to 1,799 feet

6

ATC CONTROL FACTOR

POINTS

1,800 feet to 1,899 feet

4

Uncontrolled

20

1,900 feet to 1,999 feet

2

Controlled with TCAS RA

15

 

 

Controlled with no TCAS RA

4

 

 

 

 

6-1-5.  RADAR OE SEVERITY INDEX TERMINAL AND EN-ROUTE SINGLE SITE CHART

VERTICAL SEPARATION

POINTS

HORIZONTAL SEPARATION*
3-mile separation requirement

POINTS

Less than 500 feet

25

Less than ˝ mile

25

500 feet to 599 feet

20

˝ mile to 0.999 mile

18

600 feet to 699 feet

16

1 mile to 1.499 miles

14

700 feet to 799 feet

12

1.5 miles to 2 miles

10

800 feet to 899 feet

6

2 miles to 2.499 miles

6

900 feet to 999 feet

2

2.5 miles to 2.999 miles

2

CLOSURE RATE

POINTS

HORIZONTAL SEPARATION
2.5-mile requirement

POINTS

700 knots and greater

10

Less than ˝ mile

25

300 knots to 699 knots

8

˝ mile to 0.999 mile

20

100 knots to 299 knots

6

1 mile to 1.499 miles

16

Less than 100 knots

4

1.5 miles to 1.999 miles

10

FLIGHT PATHS

POINTS

2 miles to 2.499 miles

4

Converging - Opposite Courses

20

ATC CONTROL FACTOR

POINTS

Converging - Crossing Course

18

Uncontrolled

20

Same Course

10

Controlled with TCAS RA

15

Diverging/Non-Intersecting

0

Controlled with no TCAS RA

4

* When wake turbulence separation standards are governing, DO NOT include any vertical point value.  Instead use the appropriate in trail separation index below, as well as other applicable factors.

IN TRAIL SEPARATION
4-mile separation requirement

POINTS

IN TRAIL SEPARATION
 
5-mile separation requirement

POINTS

3.499 miles and less

60

4.499 miles and less

60

3.5 miles to 3.999 miles

35

4.5 miles to 4.999 miles

35

IN TRAIL SEPARATION
6-mile separation requirement

POINTS

5.499 miles and less

60

5.5 miles to 5.999 miles

35

 

SEVERITY CLASSIFICATION
90 points and above – HIGH
40-89 points – MODERATE
39 points and below – LOW