Narrative:

Restr area 2211 (R2211) was scheduled active via NOTAM for several hours. The letter of procedure between our facility and the military authority/authorized that operates R2211 requires that range control notify us with the actual activation time regardless of the scheduled time. In practice range control calls daily and advises us of the time they need the airspace. These start times vary considerably from the published and NOTAM'ed start times. Upon notification of activation our facility notifies the ARTCC of the activation; as R2211 also penetrates some of their airspace. That day; we never received a call activating R2211. I vectored KC10 through or close to R2211 on descent to eielson AFB. I took this action because it provided the aircraft with the most expeditious route to his destination and I had been briefed by the controller I relieved that R2211 had not yet been activated. Later in the day several controllers questioned why the airspace was never activated and tried to contact range control for clarification. Range control could not be reached. I have been told that the supervisor's inquiry eventually resulted in a phone conversation with some people who had been using R2211 most of the day to explode surplus munitions. Further I have been told that the people doing the work were under the impression that the airspace had been protected for their activity during the NOTAM'ed times of activity. I do not know if the ARTCC (zan) also used this airspace during the time in question.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAI CTLR DESCRIBED EVENT WHEN FAILED COORD FROM RESTRICTED AREA USERS RESULTED IN ACFT ENTERING AREA DURING SURPLUS MUNITIONS DETONATIONS.

Narrative: RESTR AREA 2211 (R2211) WAS SCHEDULED ACTIVE VIA NOTAM FOR SEVERAL HRS. THE LETTER OF PROC BTWN OUR FACILITY AND THE MIL AUTH THAT OPERATES R2211 REQUIRES THAT RANGE CTL NOTIFY US WITH THE ACTUAL ACTIVATION TIME REGARDLESS OF THE SCHEDULED TIME. IN PRACTICE RANGE CTL CALLS DAILY AND ADVISES US OF THE TIME THEY NEED THE AIRSPACE. THESE START TIMES VARY CONSIDERABLY FROM THE PUBLISHED AND NOTAM'ED START TIMES. UPON NOTIFICATION OF ACTIVATION OUR FACILITY NOTIFIES THE ARTCC OF THE ACTIVATION; AS R2211 ALSO PENETRATES SOME OF THEIR AIRSPACE. THAT DAY; WE NEVER RECEIVED A CALL ACTIVATING R2211. I VECTORED KC10 THROUGH OR CLOSE TO R2211 ON DSCNT TO EIELSON AFB. I TOOK THIS ACTION BECAUSE IT PROVIDED THE ACFT WITH THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS RTE TO HIS DEST AND I HAD BEEN BRIEFED BY THE CTLR I RELIEVED THAT R2211 HAD NOT YET BEEN ACTIVATED. LATER IN THE DAY SEVERAL CTLRS QUESTIONED WHY THE AIRSPACE WAS NEVER ACTIVATED AND TRIED TO CONTACT RANGE CTL FOR CLARIFICATION. RANGE CTL COULD NOT BE REACHED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE SUPVR'S INQUIRY EVENTUALLY RESULTED IN A PHONE CONVERSATION WITH SOME PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN USING R2211 MOST OF THE DAY TO EXPLODE SURPLUS MUNITIONS. FURTHER I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE PEOPLE DOING THE WORK WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE AIRSPACE HAD BEEN PROTECTED FOR THEIR ACTIVITY DURING THE NOTAM'ED TIMES OF ACTIVITY. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE ARTCC (ZAN) ALSO USED THIS AIRSPACE DURING THE TIME IN QUESTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.