Narrative:

On nov/thu/96 learjet was on a medical priority 'lifeguard' mission from cmh to swf. I was assigned ZNY sector R35 and was contacted by ZNY sector 75 who advised me of the impending arrival of the learjet requesting routing via direct huo direct swf, a common shortcut given non priority aircraft when conditions allow. As I was about to coordinate this route I was informed that traffic management unit was told by N90 traffic management unit (tmu) that the aircraft must arrive via filps intersection which is the preferential arrival route for swf. They did this in accordance with a LOA dated oct/thu/96 between ZNY and N90 regarding lifeguard flts. Routing over filps would have caused the learjet to fly an extra 25-30 mi. With the supervisor's concurrence I contacted catskill sector at N90 and coordinated huo direct swf. Tmu's interference in this process caused confusion and could have resulted in delay. We, as controllers, have no way of knowing the nature of the emergencys being xported on lifeguard aircraft and normally work under the assumption that seconds saved are vital. I believe the LOA between ZNY and N90 should be invalidated because it is in conflict with the 7110.65J, chapter 2, section 2-1-4B which states that civilian air ambulance flts (lifeguard) will be given priority. At a minimum, provisions should be made to allow priority handling during all but the most complex portions of the day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR HAD BEEN ADVISED BY HIS TMU TO TAKE A LIFEGUARD LR24 VIA FILPS INTXN INSTEAD OF DIRECT TO SWF. THE RPTR COORDINATED WITH THE APCH CTLR AND THEY OVERRODE THE TMU AT THE TRACON AND THE ARTCC AND VECTORED THE ACFT DIRECT TO SWF. RPTR FEELS LOA BTWN ARTCC AND TRACON IS A POOR LETTER AND SHOULD BE ELIMINATED.

Narrative: ON NOV/THU/96 LEARJET WAS ON A MEDICAL PRIORITY 'LIFEGUARD' MISSION FROM CMH TO SWF. I WAS ASSIGNED ZNY SECTOR R35 AND WAS CONTACTED BY ZNY SECTOR 75 WHO ADVISED ME OF THE IMPENDING ARR OF THE LEARJET REQUESTING ROUTING VIA DIRECT HUO DIRECT SWF, A COMMON SHORTCUT GIVEN NON PRIORITY ACFT WHEN CONDITIONS ALLOW. AS I WAS ABOUT TO COORDINATE THIS RTE I WAS INFORMED THAT TFC MGMNT UNIT WAS TOLD BY N90 TFC MGMNT UNIT (TMU) THAT THE ACFT MUST ARRIVE VIA FILPS INTXN WHICH IS THE PREFERENTIAL ARR RTE FOR SWF. THEY DID THIS IN ACCORDANCE WITH A LOA DATED OCT/THU/96 BTWN ZNY AND N90 REGARDING LIFEGUARD FLTS. ROUTING OVER FILPS WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE LEARJET TO FLY AN EXTRA 25-30 MI. WITH THE SUPVR'S CONCURRENCE I CONTACTED CATSKILL SECTOR AT N90 AND COORDINATED HUO DIRECT SWF. TMU'S INTERFERENCE IN THIS PROCESS CAUSED CONFUSION AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN DELAY. WE, AS CTLRS, HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THE NATURE OF THE EMERS BEING XPORTED ON LIFEGUARD ACFT AND NORMALLY WORK UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT SECONDS SAVED ARE VITAL. I BELIEVE THE LOA BTWN ZNY AND N90 SHOULD BE INVALIDATED BECAUSE IT IS IN CONFLICT WITH THE 7110.65J, CHAPTER 2, SECTION 2-1-4B WHICH STATES THAT CIVILIAN AIR AMBULANCE FLTS (LIFEGUARD) WILL BE GIVEN PRIORITY. AT A MINIMUM, PROVISIONS SHOULD BE MADE TO ALLOW PRIORITY HANDLING DURING ALL BUT THE MOST COMPLEX PORTIONS OF THE DAY.

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.