Narrative:

While conducting training at a handoff sector; we received a call from approach asking about a VFR aircraft wanting to land at an airport and what altitude we'd like him at. The altitude reservation (altrev) was from 1000-6000 feet beneath a MOA over the top of the airport and the last information I was given from the military desk was that the airport would be closed. In addition; the rules in the 7110 8-6-1 and 8-6-2 state that we cannot clear aircraft into an altitude reservation and if an aircraft decides to enter the altrv anyway; we should warn them that they will not receive services from us and we should notify the controlling facility. It does not specify VFR or IFR. Based on that; I told approach that the airport was supposed to be closed and we could not issue any clearances into that airspace. Since I had expected something like this to happen I notified my supervisor who was told completely different information that we could allow aircraft into the altrv and he would tell the desk; who would then tell the fighters to vacate the altrv. We attempted to contact the last fighter we cleared into the MOA via UHF guard but received no answer. A similar incident occurred [in the past]. They created a stationary altrv; gave us no training on it; and kept changing the rules to suit their purposes which we complained about. They were still allowing IFR aircraft to transition the airspace and to do IFR approaches. I was working the position when a small aircraft was on approach and I had to give several traffic calls and safety alerts to the aircraft as an aircraft performed maneuvers in the altrv. The aircraft was in and out of the clouds which they weren't supposed to be doing; and could not be reached on guard. As a result of this; the altrv went away. We met with the military several times in an attempt to find them a safe place to perform what they needed without closing the airport and being a danger to surrounding aircraft. Eventually our air traffic manager decided against it and in a meeting with me said that the military group that they would perform their maneuvers in the previously designated areas. I was told we wouldn't have a repeat on the incident. I was content with the explanation. Fast forward to this past [day] our operations desk was informed by the military desk that there would be a stationary altrv over the airport starting this week. Having previously been involved with the incident that closed it initially; I asked the natca airspace focal if he had been notified. He said he had not. None of our supervisors were here at the time. I then went to find my alternate natca rep. To see what he knew and he happened to be at the desk; right around the corner from the military desk. I asked him if he knew anything about it which he didn't. At this time the military desk came around the corner and became very defensive about my questioning. I asked him why no one was informed and what we were supposed to do about the arrivals to which he said there was only one aircraft that went in and out and they had been notified and the field would be NOTAM'd closed. I argued that that was not correct and reminded him of the previous incident that had occurred when he had tried the same thing. So as of today; the airport was never NOTAM'd closed and we are being told it is ok to clear aircraft into the altrv which is in violation to the faah 7110.65. We have not been trained or briefed on how to deal with the situation and when we tried to operate based on the faah 7110.65 we were told we were wrong. I believe this represents an unsafe practice and should either be discontinued or run through the proper channels and done properly via a letter of agreement.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Center Controller reported being instructed to clear an aircraft through an Altitude Reservation area; in conflict with the guidance in 7110.65.

Narrative: While conducting training at a Handoff Sector; we received a call from Approach asking about a VFR aircraft wanting to land at an airport and what altitude we'd like him at. The Altitude reservation (ALTREV) was from 1000-6000 feet beneath a MOA over the top of the airport and the last information I was given from the military desk was that the airport would be closed. In addition; the rules in the 7110 8-6-1 and 8-6-2 state that we cannot clear aircraft into an altitude reservation and if an aircraft decides to enter the ALTRV anyway; we should warn them that they will not receive services from us and we should notify the controlling facility. It does not specify VFR or IFR. Based on that; I told Approach that the airport was supposed to be closed and we could not issue any clearances into that airspace. Since I had expected something like this to happen I notified my supervisor who was told completely different information that we could allow aircraft into the ALTRV and he would tell the desk; who would then tell the fighters to vacate the ALTRV. We attempted to contact the last fighter we cleared into the MOA via UHF guard but received no answer. A similar incident occurred [in the past]. They created a stationary ALTRV; gave us no training on it; and kept changing the rules to suit their purposes which we complained about. They were still allowing IFR aircraft to transition the airspace and to do IFR approaches. I was working the position when a small aircraft was on approach and I had to give several traffic calls and safety alerts to the aircraft as an aircraft performed maneuvers in the ALTRV. The aircraft was in and out of the clouds which they weren't supposed to be doing; and could not be reached on guard. As a result of this; the ALTRV went away. We met with the military several times in an attempt to find them a safe place to perform what they needed without closing the airport and being a danger to surrounding aircraft. Eventually our Air Traffic Manager decided against it and in a meeting with me said that the military group that they would perform their maneuvers in the previously designated areas. I was told we wouldn't have a repeat on the incident. I was content with the explanation. Fast forward to this past [day] our operations desk was informed by the military desk that there would be a stationary ALTRV over the airport starting this week. Having previously been involved with the incident that closed it initially; I asked the NATCA airspace focal if he had been notified. He said he had not. None of our supervisors were here at the time. I then went to find my alternate NATCA rep. to see what he knew and he happened to be at the desk; right around the corner from the military desk. I asked him if he knew anything about it which he didn't. At this time the military desk came around the corner and became very defensive about my questioning. I asked him why no one was informed and what we were supposed to do about the arrivals to which he said there was only one aircraft that went in and out and they had been notified and the field would be NOTAM'd closed. I argued that that was not correct and reminded him of the previous incident that had occurred when he had tried the same thing. So as of today; the airport was never NOTAM'd closed and we are being told it is ok to clear aircraft into the ALTRV which is in violation to the FAAH 7110.65. We have not been trained or briefed on how to deal with the situation and when we tried to operate based on the FAAH 7110.65 we were told we were wrong. I believe this represents an unsafe practice and should either be discontinued or run through the proper channels and done properly via a Letter of Agreement.

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.