Narrative:

Upon arriving at work; I learned that ZTL had undergone changes to its minimum en route altitudes (MEA's) effective that day. Asheville; nc tower (avl) controllers only learned that the altitudes had increased after an avl controller tried to handoff an aircraft to the center at an altitude that was no longer valid. The center controller caught it and instructed the avl controller to climb the aircraft; narrowly avoiding an operational error. None of the controllers at asheville tower had been briefed ahead of time that these changes would occur. No member of management was available to address the situation. Asheville is in an area designated as mountainous terrain. There are numerous areas throughout where radar and radio coverage is limited or non-existent. It is imperative that controllers be keenly aware of any changes to airspace or procedures that could in any way affect flight through the area. In my opinion; this situation was caused by carelessness on the part of avl management. Attention to detail to ensure that all controllers are properly briefed ahead of time of all changes is the only way to prevent a recurrence of this problem and avoid an unfortunate situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AVL CONTROLLER EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING MANAGEMENT'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE TIMELY BRIEFINGS ON NEW MVA'S IMPLEMENTED AT ZTL.

Narrative: UPON ARRIVING AT WORK; I LEARNED THAT ZTL HAD UNDERGONE CHANGES TO ITS MINIMUM ENRTE ALTS (MEA'S) EFFECTIVE THAT DAY. ASHEVILLE; NC TWR (AVL) CTLRS ONLY LEARNED THAT THE ALTS HAD INCREASED AFTER AN AVL CTLR TRIED TO HDOF AN ACFT TO THE CTR AT AN ALT THAT WAS NO LONGER VALID. THE CTR CTLR CAUGHT IT AND INSTRUCTED THE AVL CTLR TO CLB THE ACFT; NARROWLY AVOIDING AN OPERROR. NONE OF THE CTLRS AT ASHEVILLE TWR HAD BEEN BRIEFED AHEAD OF TIME THAT THESE CHANGES WOULD OCCUR. NO MEMBER OF MGMNT WAS AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION. ASHEVILLE IS IN AN AREA DESIGNATED AS MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THERE ARE NUMEROUS AREAS THROUGHOUT WHERE RADAR AND RADIO COVERAGE IS LIMITED OR NON-EXISTENT. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT CTLRS BE KEENLY AWARE OF ANY CHANGES TO AIRSPACE OR PROCS THAT COULD IN ANY WAY AFFECT FLT THROUGH THE AREA. IN MY OPINION; THIS SITUATION WAS CAUSED BY CARELESSNESS ON THE PART OF AVL MGMNT. ATTN TO DETAIL TO ENSURE THAT ALL CTLRS ARE PROPERLY BRIEFED AHEAD OF TIME OF ALL CHANGES IS THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF THIS PROB AND AVOID AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION.

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.