Narrative:

I was working en-route sectors R2; R6; D2; D6 combined when lih tower called for a release on aircraft X. I issued this aircraft a release on course V15 with a restriction of if not off by XA19Z for lih to apply visual separation with aircraft Y which had been cleared for an ILS approach to RWY35. Aircraft X departed at XA19Z and I radar identified the aircraft and verified this aircraft was joining V15. The aircraft confirmed joining V15. I then issued aircraft X traffic on the B717 inbound on the ILS approach. Aircraft X did not report the traffic in sight. When aircraft X passed aircraft Y there was less than 5 miles lateral separation and less than 1;000 feet vertical separation.this facility recently determined that lih airport is now a 'radar environment' and eliminated lih approach as a control sector and delegated what was previously sector 8 (lih approach control) airspace to the en-route sector 2. Management briefed that the en-route controllers could now utilize radar departure procedures which obviously means that radar separation must now be applied. With this situation as described above; I am not sure if there was a loss of separation and what the required separation is at lih.am I required to ensure 5 miles between arriving and departing aircraft? If so; how do I as the [enroute] controller accomplish this? Lih is a contract VFR tower with no radar training and cannot utilize radar to ensure IFR separation between an arrival and a departing aircraft. So this responsibility must belong to the en-route controller. I am not sure how to accomplish this without knowing exactly when an aircraft will depart. Lih tower simply calls for release on departing aircraft 3 minutes before their assumed departure time and is not required to re-coordinate unless the aircraft will depart 3 minutes after the original assumed departure time. So basically there is at least a 5 minute window within which an aircraft may depart. How can I possibly ensure 'radar separation' with this uncertainty? This facility needs to be consistent in the creation of procedures for the controllers to follow. Either the en-route controllers are required to ensure non-radar separation between a departing aircraft and an arriving aircraft or between successive departing aircraft or the contract towers are allowed to utilize radar to effect radar separation between departing and arriving aircraft or between successive departing aircraft which would then equate to the meaning of a 'radar environment'. If non-radar separation is required then this cannot possibly be deemed to be a 'radar environment' and is indeed what every controller was taught in this place - a 'non-radar environment'. The controllers in this facility are not sure what is required of them anymore and this has to stop. In a 'radar environment' I had a loss of separation in the above situation. In the 'non-radar' environment that I have operated under for 24 years; separation was ensured - 3 minutes and 45 degrees divergence. I just don't know anymore.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HCF TRACON Controller reported a concern with procedures and rules implemented by the facility management regarding arrival departure separation standards.

Narrative: I was working en-route Sectors R2; R6; D2; D6 combined when LIH tower called for a release on Aircraft X. I issued this aircraft a release on course V15 with a restriction of if not off by XA19Z for LIH to apply visual separation with Aircraft Y which had been cleared for an ILS approach to RWY35. Aircraft X departed at XA19Z and I radar identified the aircraft and verified this aircraft was joining V15. The aircraft confirmed joining V15. I then issued Aircraft X traffic on the B717 inbound on the ILS approach. Aircraft X did not report the traffic in sight. When Aircraft X passed Aircraft Y there was less than 5 miles lateral separation and less than 1;000 feet vertical separation.This facility recently determined that LIH airport is now a 'radar environment' and eliminated LIH Approach as a control sector and delegated what was previously Sector 8 (LIH Approach Control) airspace to the en-route sector 2. Management briefed that the en-route controllers could now utilize radar departure procedures which obviously means that radar separation must now be applied. With this situation as described above; I am not sure if there was a loss of separation and what the required separation is at LIH.Am I required to ensure 5 miles between arriving and departing aircraft? If so; how do I as the [enroute] controller accomplish this? LIH is a contract VFR tower with no radar training and cannot utilize radar to ensure IFR separation between an arrival and a departing aircraft. So this responsibility must belong to the en-route controller. I am not sure how to accomplish this without knowing exactly when an aircraft will depart. LIH Tower simply calls for release on departing aircraft 3 minutes before their assumed departure time and is not required to re-coordinate unless the aircraft will depart 3 minutes after the original assumed departure time. So basically there is at least a 5 minute window within which an aircraft may depart. How can I possibly ensure 'radar separation' with this uncertainty? This facility needs to be consistent in the creation of procedures for the controllers to follow. Either the en-route controllers are required to ensure non-radar separation between a departing aircraft and an arriving aircraft or between successive departing aircraft OR the contract towers are allowed to utilize radar to effect radar separation between departing and arriving aircraft or between successive departing aircraft which would then equate to the meaning of a 'radar environment'. If NON-RADAR separation is required then this cannot possibly be deemed to be a 'RADAR ENVIRONMENT' and is indeed what every controller was taught in this place - a 'NON-RADAR ENVIRONMENT'. The controllers in this facility are not sure what is required of them anymore and this has to stop. In a 'radar environment' I had a loss of separation in the above situation. In the 'non-radar' environment that I have operated under for 24 years; separation was ensured - 3 minutes and 45 degrees divergence. I just don't know anymore.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.