Learning never ends...

So last week, i was asked to stay around DCA office to get to know ITs function and organisation better. DCA has 2 major division which is the administration and finance department and the ATCC (Air Traffic Control Central). Each of these divisions has its sub units with different specific functions. For example, ATCC can be divide into units such as: control tower (aerodrome and surface movement), aeronautical information service, AAT (advance air traffic system), flight information service, training, search and rescue, area control and approach.

This week, i was assigned to AAT and i'll be there for another 2.5 months. So basically, we do radar & systems maintenance (sounded like a guy's job and yes, all 5 engineers in AAT are guys but yet the supervisor and manager are both female, lol). Everything related to the system of the radar are in our job scope and that includes fixing printer and telephone lines, radar site and tower cleaning (outsiders are strictly prohibited, the systems are expensive and it has to be function all the time, 24-7, so we can't bare the consequences of any shut down or disrupt of system to happen, which at worst, crashes between airplanes), backup data for radar detection and voice file between controller and pilot. But still, our main job is to keep the radar and related systems functioning all the time. So the engineers working here take shifts (sometimes they called themselves kuli or higher class technician which i find it quite true, what to do, Malaysia has limited resources and efficient manpower, all the best candidates had flee from the country).

New facts: #1. Radar detection is use not only for planes but the data obtained also includes the density of clouds, which will later be used for weather forecast and it helps the controller to keep the pilot update with the current weather condition. #2. There's 2 radar used in a system, which is PSR (Primary Surveillance Radar-for planes within 60 mile nautical and without transponder) and SSR (Secondary Surveillance Radar-for detection of planes with transponder and of range 200 mile nautical). #3. The radar system used in civil aviation is from Italy. I always thought Italy is an artistic place with painters and poets but apparently they produces high technology radar systems too. lol. and the software engineer based in AAT is hot, seriously.

Work is still fun so far. Learning new things keep me excited. I know, i sounded exactly like a nerd now. xp Hopefully i will make more use of myself in coming weeks. The 1st week so far has only been the honeymoon period. I heard we'll be real busy at the end of the month. till then =)