Narrative:

At ZSE there have been numerous instances of changes in procedures, approachs and equipment where advance briefings were not provided to the controllers. The problem is that those responsible for the changes do not ensure those affected have received the information and acknowledged understanding. Listed are some examples. 1) a new LOA went into effect between ZSE and ZLC artccs. This involves a boundary change and a new transition zone for transfer of control on aircraft. Controllers were briefed on the change but when it became effective, the old LOA was still the only reference material available at the sector. The C area binder was updated when a sector controller alerted supervisor. 2) at the end of mar the eat VOR was recalibrated for magnetic variation resulting in a 3 degree shift. This resulted in a shift in radials for the airways, approachs and sector control points. It was left to crew supervisors to warn controllers of the changes. As of may xx, some controllers were still unaware of the changes. New charts reflected the changes apr xx. 3) also on apr X, a new missed approach became effective for the NDB-a at lgd. The new procedure had the aircraft entering another center's airspace and holding over a VOR (bke), 25 mi from lgd airport. Neither anyone at ZSE nor ZLC was aware of the change! It was noticed first by a sector controller on may xx. Controller must memorize much of the data needed to run a sector effectively. Charts, maps, procedure binders are referred to only as memory aids. Just putting a change in a book or on a chart is not sufficient to inform controllers of a change. A briefing before and after with ensuring feedback and acknowledgement from controllers is necessary.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR STATES THAT NEW PROCS ARE NOT BEING BRIEFED OR PLACED IN THE REF BOOK AT THE SECTOR.

Narrative: AT ZSE THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF CHANGES IN PROCS, APCHS AND EQUIP WHERE ADVANCE BRIEFINGS WERE NOT PROVIDED TO THE CTLRS. THE PROB IS THAT THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHANGES DO NOT ENSURE THOSE AFFECTED HAVE RECEIVED THE INFO AND ACKNOWLEDGED UNDERSTANDING. LISTED ARE SOME EXAMPLES. 1) A NEW LOA WENT INTO EFFECT BTWN ZSE AND ZLC ARTCCS. THIS INVOLVES A BOUNDARY CHANGE AND A NEW TRANSITION ZONE FOR TRANSFER OF CTL ON ACFT. CTLRS WERE BRIEFED ON THE CHANGE BUT WHEN IT BECAME EFFECTIVE, THE OLD LOA WAS STILL THE ONLY REF MATERIAL AVAILABLE AT THE SECTOR. THE C AREA BINDER WAS UPDATED WHEN A SECTOR CTLR ALERTED SUPVR. 2) AT THE END OF MAR THE EAT VOR WAS RECALIBRATED FOR MAGNETIC VARIATION RESULTING IN A 3 DEG SHIFT. THIS RESULTED IN A SHIFT IN RADIALS FOR THE AIRWAYS, APCHS AND SECTOR CTL POINTS. IT WAS LEFT TO CREW SUPVRS TO WARN CTLRS OF THE CHANGES. AS OF MAY XX, SOME CTLRS WERE STILL UNAWARE OF THE CHANGES. NEW CHARTS REFLECTED THE CHANGES APR XX. 3) ALSO ON APR X, A NEW MISSED APCH BECAME EFFECTIVE FOR THE NDB-A AT LGD. THE NEW PROC HAD THE ACFT ENTERING ANOTHER CTR'S AIRSPACE AND HOLDING OVER A VOR (BKE), 25 MI FROM LGD ARPT. NEITHER ANYONE AT ZSE NOR ZLC WAS AWARE OF THE CHANGE! IT WAS NOTICED FIRST BY A SECTOR CTLR ON MAY XX. CTLR MUST MEMORIZE MUCH OF THE DATA NEEDED TO RUN A SECTOR EFFECTIVELY. CHARTS, MAPS, PROC BINDERS ARE REFERRED TO ONLY AS MEMORY AIDS. JUST PUTTING A CHANGE IN A BOOK OR ON A CHART IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO INFORM CTLRS OF A CHANGE. A BRIEFING BEFORE AND AFTER WITH ENSURING FEEDBACK AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM CTLRS IS NECESSARY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.