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ZME center controller reported confusion in regard to the authorized method to separate a military refueling flight.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1463712 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201707 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZME.ARTCC |
| State Reference | TN |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Stratotanker 135 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Stratofortress (B-52) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Enroute |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Experience | Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 23 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy |
Narrative:
I was working the aircraft on AR101 north on sector 44. Aircraft X stated that aircraft Y wanted to split from the flight and proceed via flight plan in 10 minutes. My supervisor was working R28 and as he was a tower controller and had very limited hours in the enroute environment. I felt it would have put him under to have to issue the clearance. So I pointed the aircraft out to him and told him I would take care of it. I gave aircraft X a code to give aircraft Y and told him to have aircraft Y to report on my frequency. Aircraft Y reported on frequency and I radar identified him and cleared him via his request and told him to maintain FL240. Once the aircraft were separated I terminated military authority assumes responsibility for separation of aircraft (marsa). We have done it this way before and I have trained numerous developmentals this procedure for over 20 years. I don't know if or when the rules were changed but we have never been briefed of this change and it is my understanding that there are different rules for refueling break ups and formation flight break ups. I don't know why they would be different.make the rules the way they were. No matter what instructions we give they have to maintain marsa until terminated by the controller.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZME Center controller reported confusion in regard to the authorized method to separate a military refueling flight.
Narrative: I was working the aircraft on AR101 north on sector 44. Aircraft X stated that Aircraft Y wanted to split from the flight and proceed via flight plan in 10 minutes. My supervisor was working R28 and as he was a tower controller and had very limited hours in the enroute environment. I felt it would have put him under to have to issue the clearance. So I pointed the aircraft out to him and told him I would take care of it. I gave Aircraft X a code to give Aircraft Y and told him to have Aircraft Y to report on my frequency. Aircraft Y reported on frequency and I radar identified him and cleared him via his request and told him to maintain FL240. Once the aircraft were separated I terminated Military Authority Assumes Responsibility for Separation of Aircraft (MARSA). We have done it this way before and I have trained numerous developmentals this procedure for over 20 years. I don't know if or when the rules were changed but we have never been briefed of this change and it is my understanding that there are different rules for refueling break ups and formation flight break ups. I don't know why they would be different.Make the rules the way they were. No matter what instructions we give they have to maintain MARSA until terminated by the controller.
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.