Narrative:

Since about feb/98, ZAU and sbn have been in a test period with expanded airspace for sbn approach. Over this time, a number of concerns have come up. Today, for example, I was working the gsh sector which overlies part of sbn approach. I descended air carrier X to 11000 ft (as per LOA) and shipped him to sbn. (Due to the confign of the 'test airspace' a pointout is required from sbn to gsh if the aircraft will re-enter the gsh airspace.) air carrier X re-entered my airspace without the required pointout. 9 mins later, sbn allowed another aircraft to enter my airspace without my knowledge or approval. When I called sbn about this, the response was 'oh, I guess I forgot.' within 15 mins of these sits, sbn approach asked that I stop uga at 10000 ft. After shipping the aircraft to sbn, they descended uga through the balance (2000 ft) of my airspace without my permission. I have expressed my concerns to my 'first line' supervisors, and they tell me that we have a 'verbal agreement' with sbn approach. As the controller in charge of separating traffic at this sector, I had no knowledge of this agreement. I am very concerned that someone will have an operational error as a result of this 'test.' I am especially concerned that someone may get hurt or killed if this issue is not addressed -- seriously! Today, when my supervisor called sbn approach to address the issue, the sbn supervisor said 'you tell the gentleman working gsh that if he wants to get into this pissing contest, he'll lose.' I truly believe that this is an example of an attitude that kills innocent people. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the airspace test was evaluated at 30, 60, and 90 days, and despite negative feedback, was extended another 30 days which will be terminated in july. Reporter indicated that the combined consensus of controllers from both facilities was that the procedure created more workload (for the benefits gained). Reporter stated that he had filed a ucr on the airspace test. Reporter alleged that someone used the administrator's hotline to identify some of the incidents involved with the airspace test.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CLAIMS THAT DURING A TEST PERIOD INVOLVING THE CTR GIVING EXPANDED AIRSPACE TO AN APCH FACILITY, AIRSPACE VIOLATIONS OCCURRED WHEN APCH CTLRS FAILED TO PROPERLY ADHERE TO THE COORD PROCS REQUIRED BTWN THE FACILITIES.

Narrative: SINCE ABOUT FEB/98, ZAU AND SBN HAVE BEEN IN A TEST PERIOD WITH EXPANDED AIRSPACE FOR SBN APCH. OVER THIS TIME, A NUMBER OF CONCERNS HAVE COME UP. TODAY, FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS WORKING THE GSH SECTOR WHICH OVERLIES PART OF SBN APCH. I DSNDED ACR X TO 11000 FT (AS PER LOA) AND SHIPPED HIM TO SBN. (DUE TO THE CONFIGN OF THE 'TEST AIRSPACE' A POINTOUT IS REQUIRED FROM SBN TO GSH IF THE ACFT WILL RE-ENTER THE GSH AIRSPACE.) ACR X RE-ENTERED MY AIRSPACE WITHOUT THE REQUIRED POINTOUT. 9 MINS LATER, SBN ALLOWED ANOTHER ACFT TO ENTER MY AIRSPACE WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE OR APPROVAL. WHEN I CALLED SBN ABOUT THIS, THE RESPONSE WAS 'OH, I GUESS I FORGOT.' WITHIN 15 MINS OF THESE SITS, SBN APCH ASKED THAT I STOP UGA AT 10000 FT. AFTER SHIPPING THE ACFT TO SBN, THEY DSNDED UGA THROUGH THE BAL (2000 FT) OF MY AIRSPACE WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS TO MY 'FIRST LINE' SUPVRS, AND THEY TELL ME THAT WE HAVE A 'VERBAL AGREEMENT' WITH SBN APCH. AS THE CIC OF SEPARATING TFC AT THIS SECTOR, I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS AGREEMENT. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT SOMEONE WILL HAVE AN OPERROR AS A RESULT OF THIS 'TEST.' I AM ESPECIALLY CONCERNED THAT SOMEONE MAY GET HURT OR KILLED IF THIS ISSUE IS NOT ADDRESSED -- SERIOUSLY! TODAY, WHEN MY SUPVR CALLED SBN APCH TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, THE SBN SUPVR SAID 'YOU TELL THE GENTLEMAN WORKING GSH THAT IF HE WANTS TO GET INTO THIS PISSING CONTEST, HE'LL LOSE.' I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN ATTITUDE THAT KILLS INNOCENT PEOPLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE AIRSPACE TEST WAS EVALUATED AT 30, 60, AND 90 DAYS, AND DESPITE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK, WAS EXTENDED ANOTHER 30 DAYS WHICH WILL BE TERMINATED IN JULY. RPTR INDICATED THAT THE COMBINED CONSENSUS OF CTLRS FROM BOTH FACILITIES WAS THAT THE PROC CREATED MORE WORKLOAD (FOR THE BENEFITS GAINED). RPTR STATED THAT HE HAD FILED A UCR ON THE AIRSPACE TEST. RPTR ALLEGED THAT SOMEONE USED THE ADMINISTRATOR'S HOTLINE TO IDENT SOME OF THE INCIDENTS INVOLVED WITH THE AIRSPACE TEST.

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.