'Bugs hampering #600m air control centre'

The number of computer "bugs" in the systems of the much-delayed #600 million new Swanwick air traffic control centre have increased, according to a report.

There could be a further outbreak when new software systems are installed at the Hampshire centre next year, added the report in Computer Weekly magazine.

The National Air Traffic Services still faced "considerable technical challenges" before the centre became fully operational on January 27 2002, said Computer Weekly.

But it added that Nats chiefs were confident that the bug situation will not effect plans to hand over the centre to operational air traffic control in December this year in preparation for the January 2002 opening date.

In August, it was revealed that the number of bugs was 200, although this represented a more than halving of the May figure of more than 550.

However, Computer Weekly said the number had risen to 217 despite Nats' assurances that all, or nearly all, the bugs would be eliminated by December. Now it seems that about 50 bugs will remain at the end of the year and these were likely to be fixed in January and February 2001.

"We know what to do to fix or work around the remaining programme trouble reports (bugs)," a Nats spokesman told Computer Weekly.

He added: "None are related to the system-critical or safety-related aspects of the system, nor will they affect its functionality in any way."

Continuing software problems have gradually pushed back the opening date and raised the cost of the centre which was originally planned to be operational in 1996 and cost about #340 million.

The centre will relieve much of the pressure on the main England air traffic control centre at West Drayton near Heathrow airport in west London.

Last updated: 00:36 Thursday 5th October 2000.

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-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 04, 2000