<< >> NASA ASRS Report 373275, May 1997

ARTCC handoff controller complaint about traffic management procedures instituted when WX factors dictate in-trail spacing on airways that go into adjacent ARTCC airspace. Reporter recommends suspending the procedures until they can be refined.

Attributes
ACN	373275
Time
Date	199705
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sax
State Reference	NJ
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw tracon : bad
Route In Use	enroute airway : zbw enroute airway : zny enroute airway : zob
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : private
Experience	controller military : 3 controller radar : 10 flight time total : 120
ASRS Report	373275
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

On may/mon/97 pm, 2 lines of severe thunderstorms impacted ZOB, ZNY and ZBW. Early on as the lines were building the traffic management unit imposed a 40 mi in-trail restr on J80. ZBW then in an attempt to assist in obtaining this restr instituted a departure spacing program (dsp). This action did not help the situation. It precipitated to impact the operation adversely. The added workload created by tmu's attempt to assist forced aircraft and controllers into an unsatisfactory posture to handle the required in-trail restr. This happens on a continual basis. Boston tmu states that automation short falls limit the effectiveness of a departure spacing program. These actions should cease until the program can be refined. In the meantime use of this program, at times, adds to controllers complexity while utilizing an able bodied controller to administer the program.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC HDOF CTLR COMPLAINT ABOUT TFC MGMNT PROCS INSTITUTED WHEN WX FACTORS DICTATE IN-TRAIL SPACING ON AIRWAYS THAT GO INTO ADJACENT ARTCC AIRSPACE. RPTR RECOMMENDS SUSPENDING THE PROCS UNTIL THEY CAN BE REFINED.

Narrative: ON MAY/MON/97 PM, 2 LINES OF SEVERE TSTMS IMPACTED ZOB, ZNY AND ZBW. EARLY ON AS THE LINES WERE BUILDING THE TFC MGMNT UNIT IMPOSED A 40 MI IN-TRAIL RESTR ON J80. ZBW THEN IN AN ATTEMPT TO ASSIST IN OBTAINING THIS RESTR INSTITUTED A DEP SPACING PROGRAM (DSP). THIS ACTION DID NOT HELP THE SIT. IT PRECIPITATED TO IMPACT THE OP ADVERSELY. THE ADDED WORKLOAD CREATED BY TMU'S ATTEMPT TO ASSIST FORCED ACFT AND CTLRS INTO AN UNSATISFACTORY POSTURE TO HANDLE THE REQUIRED IN-TRAIL RESTR. THIS HAPPENS ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. BOSTON TMU STATES THAT AUTOMATION SHORT FALLS LIMIT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A DEP SPACING PROGRAM. THESE ACTIONS SHOULD CEASE UNTIL THE PROGRAM CAN BE REFINED. IN THE MEANTIME USE OF THIS PROGRAM, AT TIMES, ADDS TO CTLRS COMPLEXITY WHILE UTILIZING AN ABLE BODIED CTLR TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM.

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.