Narrative:

I was working sector 63, whose limits are FL280 to FL330. Air carrier X at FL330 requested FL370. I coordinated for the climb to FL370 with aircraft on J50 (eastbound). The climb was approved and I was informed by the ultrahigh sector controller he had traffic at FL350 (wbound) on J4 which is a parallel airway north of J50. I advised him I would leave my aircraft on J50. I climbed air carrier X to FL370 and had observed the limited data block at FL350 wbound. Shortly thereafter conflict alert was activated. I turned air carrier X 10 degree right and sector 78 controller advised he was turning air carrier Y right. This area around el paso is noted for conflict alert activity due to close proximity of the airways J4 and J50. They are parallel but also are changeover points as far as navaids are concerned. This area is also noted for beacon splits continuously. Therefore, we as controllers live with conflict alert, beacon splits and occasional data block jumps in this area every day. We have white sands missile range to the north and mexican airspace south which leaves no room for vectors therefore aircraft on these airways are constantly activating conflict alert. The distance between centerline of these two airways is 8 mi. This means in a radar environment aircraft must be close to centerline to maintain separation. However, during non radar procedures aircraft are manually separated even though one aircraft could be 4 mi south of J4 and still in the confines of the airway and another aircraft at same altitude 4 mi north of J50 and there is actually no separation at all (zero mi).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION FROM ACR Y. SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING SECTOR 63, WHOSE LIMITS ARE FL280 TO FL330. ACR X AT FL330 REQUESTED FL370. I COORDINATED FOR THE CLIMB TO FL370 WITH ACFT ON J50 (EBND). THE CLIMB WAS APPROVED AND I WAS INFORMED BY THE ULTRAHIGH SECTOR CTLR HE HAD TFC AT FL350 (WBOUND) ON J4 WHICH IS A PARALLEL AIRWAY N OF J50. I ADVISED HIM I WOULD LEAVE MY ACFT ON J50. I CLIMBED ACR X TO FL370 AND HAD OBSERVED THE LIMITED DATA BLOCK AT FL350 WBOUND. SHORTLY THEREAFTER CONFLICT ALERT WAS ACTIVATED. I TURNED ACR X 10 DEG RIGHT AND SECTOR 78 CTLR ADVISED HE WAS TURNING ACR Y RIGHT. THIS AREA AROUND EL PASO IS NOTED FOR CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVITY DUE TO CLOSE PROX OF THE AIRWAYS J4 AND J50. THEY ARE PARALLEL BUT ALSO ARE CHANGEOVER POINTS AS FAR AS NAVAIDS ARE CONCERNED. THIS AREA IS ALSO NOTED FOR BEACON SPLITS CONTINUOUSLY. THEREFORE, WE AS CTLRS LIVE WITH CONFLICT ALERT, BEACON SPLITS AND OCCASIONAL DATA BLOCK JUMPS IN THIS AREA EVERY DAY. WE HAVE WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE TO THE N AND MEXICAN AIRSPACE S WHICH LEAVES NO ROOM FOR VECTORS THEREFORE ACFT ON THESE AIRWAYS ARE CONSTANTLY ACTIVATING CONFLICT ALERT. THE DISTANCE BETWEEN CENTERLINE OF THESE TWO AIRWAYS IS 8 MI. THIS MEANS IN A RADAR ENVIRONMENT ACFT MUST BE CLOSE TO CENTERLINE TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION. HOWEVER, DURING NON RADAR PROCS ACFT ARE MANUALLY SEPARATED EVEN THOUGH ONE ACFT COULD BE 4 MI S OF J4 AND STILL IN THE CONFINES OF THE AIRWAY AND ANOTHER ACFT AT SAME ALT 4 MI N OF J50 AND THERE IS ACTUALLY NO SEPARATION AT ALL (ZERO MI).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.