>It always seemed to me that the enroute "controllers" could care less about what equipment one uses to get from point A to point B just as long as one stays on the airway >or, these days, stays generally on the course line to "B" (NE Blue States'  Iron Fist Air Management notwithstanding).  It also seems that a few years back the enroute folks >didn't have access to waypoints outside their "region" and needed more info, such as Magnetic (12th century device) Heading and distance - giving a position report of 620 >NM ENE of Las Cruces was generally not well received.  These days it would appear that everyone knows where the flight is going, even if it is 800 NM that-a-way... 

 

>It is nice to see that the FAA has finally moved forward off of the IBM 7090 computers - a computer that I wrote programs for back in 1962.

 

If you haven't been to a ARTCC in the past say 8-10 years, then you would be in for a big shock.  Our equipment is actually state of the art, unfortuneately we are still using some of that same code that you wrote way back then.   We are scheduled to get all new software to run things within the next 5 years (only about 15 years too late).  As far as us careing how you get from point A to point B, you are correct, we don't care what equipment you have.  Most of the VFR flight following we give are to aircraft with GPS, even if it's a hand held.   Our latest system in the ARTCC is called URET (User Request Evaluation Tool), which also replaces the paper flight progress strips, so we now have a 20" lcd monitor that has all the flight plan info on all airplanes in the sector, and is kept up to date automatically.   One really nice thing about the URET system is that it knows every fix/airport/navaid in the entire US, and many out of the US.   It uses the Jeppesen data base, so if it's in there, we know where it is.  If you are going from COS to ABQ via a direct route, and tell me you are 245 miles NE of ABQ, that works for me.   The URET system also has a conflict probe, that is always searching ahead for 20 minutes to help the controller detect conflicts even before the airplanes are in the sector.  It is also probing for MOA's restricted areas, and knows your descent or climb profile and takes that into consideration(knowing the type of aircraft).   This system has reduced the controller workload quite a bit now that we don't have to constantly write on the flight progress strips anymore.   We also have NEXRAD color radar display right on the scope now too, so we might actually be able to help you avoid some of those nasty thunderstorms that we couldn't before.   I know there are a bunch of you out there who would be interested in a tour of an ARTCC facility, so if there is enough interest you could all fly here and have a fly-in/tour.    You could bring your favorite sanding block, and we could have a sanding party too.   I'm in Longmont, Colorado by the way. 

 

Ron Galbraith

LNCE-N5ES 

(hoping elves swarm my hanger over the holiday to surprise me)