Enroute d-side controller witnessed loss of separation event; claiming the data block size used by t...

Narrative:

I was d-side off line coordinating a change of destination with tmu via ring line and point out traffic to approach via shout line. I was using uret and dcrud to obtain aircraft information and looking at our overhead display to see arrivals coming into the sector not yet displayed on monitor. The r-side data block text is too small to be reliable from d-side. During this coordination; r-side took hand-off of air carrier Y from low altitude sector at FL290 requesting FL380. He climbed air carrier Y northbound to FL320 not seeing traffic at FL300 westbound who was in conflict. R-side turned air carrier Y 50 degrees right; pilot read back 15 right; r-side corrected him. Separation was lost; r-side put up a j-ring on air carrier X; showing approximately 2 1/2 miles and 200 ft. When I was finishing coordination; I saw conflict alert had activated and it appeared that air carrier Y was turned away from air carrier X. Recommendation: use data block text size so sector team can be effective. Scan entire traffic area. It is not uncommon to do a very complete scan around an aircraft but not in the immediate proximity. R-side is low time cpc and has the attitude that he knows it all; can not learn anything more; and overall full of himself. I hope this gives him some humility.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Enroute D-Side Controller witnessed loss of separation event; claiming the Data Block size used by the R-Side made observation of the display and assistance very difficult.

Narrative: I was D-Side off line coordinating a change of destination with TMU via ring line and point out traffic to approach via shout line. I was using URET and DCRUD to obtain aircraft information and looking at our overhead display to see arrivals coming into the sector not yet displayed on monitor. The R-Side Data Block text is too small to be reliable from D-Side. During this coordination; R-Side took hand-off of Air Carrier Y from low altitude sector at FL290 requesting FL380. He climbed Air Carrier Y northbound to FL320 not seeing traffic at FL300 westbound who was in conflict. R-Side turned Air Carrier Y 50 degrees right; pilot read back 15 right; R-Side corrected him. Separation was lost; R-Side put up a J-Ring on Air Carrier X; showing approximately 2 1/2 miles and 200 FT. When I was finishing coordination; I saw Conflict Alert had activated and it appeared that Air Carrier Y was turned away from Air Carrier X. Recommendation: use data block text size so sector team can be effective. Scan entire traffic area. It is not uncommon to do a very complete scan around an aircraft but not in the immediate proximity. R-Side is low time CPC and has the attitude that he knows it all; can not learn anything more; and overall full of himself. I hope this gives him some humility.

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.

Attributes
ACN	927759
Time
Date	201101
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Climb
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Enroute
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Enroute d-side controller witnessed loss of separation event; claiming the data block size used by the r-side made observation of the display and assistance very difficult.