Military refueler cleared into MOA but block altitude never coordination with center.

Attributes
ACN	277223
Time
Date	199406
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tnp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : military pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	277223
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

We cleared into the bristol MOA by lax at 15000 ft MSL. Checking into the area the controling agency call sign 'chieftan,' told us to operation 15000 ft to FL220. After about 1 hour on station as the airborne refueler we climbed from 15000 ft to FL180 to remain clear of clouds as required by our mission. After being at FL180 for approximately 30 min we were informed by lax that we should not have left 15000 ft MSL without his permission. Once back on the ground we phoned lax and chiefton the controling agencies involved. We learned that even though the bristol MOA we were operating in was scheduled for our use and we had checked in with both agencies, lax had not activated the reserved block altitude 15000 ft to FL220 as chiefton had led us to believe by their initial radio call. This misunderstanding is hazardous because we were varying our altitude to maintain VMC without informing ZLA was not. Lax might have sent aircraft through the MOA resulting in a mid air. To correct this, lax should automatically block the entire MOA as soon as a participating military aircraft checks into the working area. Especially if all concerned know that the area and altitude block are reserved in advance and the air crews are led to believe they 'own' the MOA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL REFUELER CLRED INTO MOA BUT BLOCK ALT NEVER COORD WITH CTR.

Narrative: WE CLRED INTO THE BRISTOL MOA BY LAX AT 15000 FT MSL. CHKING INTO THE AREA THE CTLING AGENCY CALL SIGN 'CHIEFTAN,' TOLD US TO OP 15000 FT TO FL220. AFTER ABOUT 1 HR ON STATION AS THE AIRBORNE REFUELER WE CLBED FROM 15000 FT TO FL180 TO REMAIN CLR OF CLOUDS AS REQUIRED BY OUR MISSION. AFTER BEING AT FL180 FOR APPROX 30 MIN WE WERE INFORMED BY LAX THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE LEFT 15000 FT MSL WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION. ONCE BACK ON THE GND WE PHONED LAX AND CHIEFTON THE CTLING AGENCIES INVOLVED. WE LEARNED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE BRISTOL MOA WE WERE OPERATING IN WAS SCHEDULED FOR OUR USE AND WE HAD CHKED IN WITH BOTH AGENCIES, LAX HAD NOT ACTIVATED THE RESERVED BLOCK ALT 15000 FT TO FL220 AS CHIEFTON HAD LED US TO BELIEVE BY THEIR INITIAL RADIO CALL. THIS MISUNDERSTANDING IS HAZARDOUS BECAUSE WE WERE VARYING OUR ALT TO MAINTAIN VMC WITHOUT INFORMING ZLA WAS NOT. LAX MIGHT HAVE SENT ACFT THROUGH THE MOA RESULTING IN A MID AIR. TO CORRECT THIS, LAX SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY BLOCK THE ENTIRE MOA AS SOON AS A PARTICIPATING MIL ACFT CHKS INTO THE WORKING AREA. ESPECIALLY IF ALL CONCERNED KNOW THAT THE AREA AND ALT BLOCK ARE RESERVED IN ADVANCE AND THE AIR CREWS ARE LED TO BELIEVE THEY 'OWN' THE MOA.

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.