Narrative:

Aircraft were being vectored to provide in trail spacing for arrivals. Sector receives traffic from 3 different sectors and at different altitudes and in various in trail positions. Sector X is only 35-40 miles wide in an east/west distance to achieve descent and in trail status of arrival aircraft. The eclipse was being vectored behind the E145 and was descended to 10;000 ft. Once the spacing had been obtained; a turn was given to the pilot of the eclipse and the pilot's rate of turn exceeded any previously experienced rate of turn of any other aircraft. Pilot of the eclipse also began to gain speed in that turn which then put that aircraft into an overtake situation of the E145. The E145 also had 10;000 ft indicated in the data block as to the assigned altitude but descent clearance was not given to the pilot. Recommendation; the eclipse is a vlj. We as controllers do not get to experience these aircraft very much in this particular area. We have not been exposed to the flight characteristics of this aircraft and; evidently; its nimbleness but also lack of speed in regular flight. Since this aircraft is no longer in production; we will probably not see very many more in this part of the country. Knowledge and flight information from the manufacturer about the abilities of this aircraft or any other new aircraft; in great detail; would benefit all controllers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Enroute Controller described a loss of separation event when the lead aircraft descended without clearance and the flight characteristics of the succeeding Eclipse VLJ were unfamiliar to the controller.

Narrative: Aircraft were being vectored to provide in trail spacing for arrivals. Sector receives traffic from 3 different sectors and at different altitudes and in various in trail positions. Sector X is only 35-40 miles wide in an east/west distance to achieve descent and in trail status of arrival aircraft. The Eclipse was being vectored behind the E145 and was descended to 10;000 FT. Once the spacing had been obtained; a turn was given to the pilot of the Eclipse and the pilot's rate of turn exceeded any previously experienced rate of turn of any other aircraft. Pilot of the Eclipse also began to gain speed in that turn which then put that aircraft into an overtake situation of the E145. The E145 also had 10;000 FT indicated in the data block as to the assigned altitude but descent clearance was not given to the pilot. Recommendation; the Eclipse is a VLJ. We as controllers do not get to experience these aircraft very much in this particular area. We have not been exposed to the flight characteristics of this aircraft and; evidently; its nimbleness but also lack of speed in regular flight. Since this aircraft is no longer in production; we will probably not see very many more in this part of the country. Knowledge and flight information from the manufacturer about the abilities of this aircraft or any other new aircraft; in great detail; would benefit all controllers.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.