ARTCC radar controller behavior unprofessional arguementative.

Attributes
ACN	167217
Time
Date	199012
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gdm
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw tracon : bos
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	167217
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Inter Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

I was working the gardner sector at boston center, which is the west arrival sector for logan airport. Metering was in progress. This is a program to hold aircraft at outer fixes and provide boston approach with the proper loading based on their runway acceptance rate. As is typical with most arrival sectors, the part of the sector that sidewalls boston approach is narrow (about 10 mi wide) and this narrow airspace is surrounded by other center sectors and approach controls. Air carrier X was inbound and the handoff had been accepted by boston approach. As I prepared to switch the aircraft to boston approach, the supervisor on duty came up to me and said 'spin him, boston approach can't take him.' I advised that approach had already accepted the handoff. He insisted that I turn the aircraft. When the controller's opinion differs from the supervisor, the controller must do what the supervisor demands. I felt that turning this aircraft in this narrow airspace was dangerous. I had to point out the aircraft to other controllers quickly and the turn put the aircraft close to the boston departure track. This type of incident is common at boston center. Supervisors will make decisions concerning live traffic west/O benefit of a xfer of position briefing or a one min overlap observation (as required by ZBW facility directives). In some cases, the supervisor isn't even certified on the sector. (Boston center supervisors only maintain currency on 2 of 6 sectos in their area). Anyone making decisions with real aircraft should be certified, current and have a proper briefing prior to making those decisions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR BEHAVIOR UNPROFESSIONAL ARGUEMENTATIVE.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE GARDNER SECTOR AT BOSTON CTR, WHICH IS THE W ARR SECTOR FOR LOGAN ARPT. METERING WAS IN PROGRESS. THIS IS A PROGRAM TO HOLD ACFT AT OUTER FIXES AND PROVIDE BOSTON APCH WITH THE PROPER LOADING BASED ON THEIR RWY ACCEPTANCE RATE. AS IS TYPICAL WITH MOST ARR SECTORS, THE PART OF THE SECTOR THAT SIDEWALLS BOSTON APCH IS NARROW (ABOUT 10 MI WIDE) AND THIS NARROW AIRSPACE IS SURROUNDED BY OTHER CTR SECTORS AND APCH CTLS. ACR X WAS INBND AND THE HDOF HAD BEEN ACCEPTED BY BOSTON APCH. AS I PREPARED TO SWITCH THE ACFT TO BOSTON APCH, THE SUPVR ON DUTY CAME UP TO ME AND SAID 'SPIN HIM, BOSTON APCH CAN'T TAKE HIM.' I ADVISED THAT APCH HAD ALREADY ACCEPTED THE HDOF. HE INSISTED THAT I TURN THE ACFT. WHEN THE CTLR'S OPINION DIFFERS FROM THE SUPVR, THE CTLR MUST DO WHAT THE SUPVR DEMANDS. I FELT THAT TURNING THIS ACFT IN THIS NARROW AIRSPACE WAS DANGEROUS. I HAD TO POINT OUT THE ACFT TO OTHER CTLRS QUICKLY AND THE TURN PUT THE ACFT CLOSE TO THE BOSTON DEP TRACK. THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT IS COMMON AT BOSTON CTR. SUPVRS WILL MAKE DECISIONS CONCERNING LIVE TFC W/O BENEFIT OF A XFER OF POS BRIEFING OR A ONE MIN OVERLAP OBSERVATION (AS REQUIRED BY ZBW FAC DIRECTIVES). IN SOME CASES, THE SUPVR ISN'T EVEN CERTIFIED ON THE SECTOR. (BOSTON CTR SUPVRS ONLY MAINTAIN CURRENCY ON 2 OF 6 SECTOS IN THEIR AREA). ANYONE MAKING DECISIONS WITH REAL ACFT SHOULD BE CERTIFIED, CURRENT AND HAVE A PROPER BRIEFING PRIOR TO MAKING THOSE DECISIONS.

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.