Ribbon Displays

A busy ATC controller does not have time to look at color situation displays and interpret them.

Ribbon displays are alphanumeric displays (connected to the Situation Displays) that provide ATC personnel with concise information on the status of various runway corridors with regard to wind shear and microburst events. The display shows simple text messages of the form:

32LA MBA 3MF 40K- 180 14
32LD 190 15
33LA WSA RWY 25K+ 190 17
33LD WSA RWY 25K+ 160 14

• The first line informs the controller of a microburst alert for runway 32 left at 4.8 km (3 miles) final approach. A 40 knot loss of airspeed can be expected. At the end of the line is the measured surface wind (direction and speed in knots) at the threshold end of the runway or from some other point on the field (depending on the availability of wind information from an LLWAS or other source).
• The second line shows the normal display with no warning message. Only the wind is displayed.
• The third and fourth lines show a wind shear alert (shear line) for runway 33L (approach and departure) with an expected 25 knot gain. The threshold winds are displayed at the end of each line.

In addition to the text messages an audio alert tone is sounded when an alert is issued. The controller acknowledges the alert tone by pushing a button on the front of the ribbon display.