Narrative:

When the tupelo ultra-high sector (M32) is open in ZME, departures off atlanta must be specifically directed to that sector. If they are not specifically directed they will automatically handoff to the muscle shoals sector (M31). The problem occurs when the gadsen sector (03) gets busy the aircraft can automatically handoff to the M31 sector and be accepted by them and the right side can think the D side directed the handoff to M32, and the D side can think the right side directed the handoff when in fact the track handed off to the wrong sector automatically. When the gadsen sector is busy this confusion can add a tremendous amount of coordination to an already busy sector. If M31 does not handoff the aircraft to M32 prior to the boundary, gadsen sector is guilty of violating M32's airspace. This situation has been addressed through ucr's and the response has been that it is a ZME computer problem and it cannot be corrected. While it may be a computer problem for memphis it is a safety problem for ZTL. If a computer patch is unacceptable then a procedure needs to be established that will make M31 responsible for insuring that handoffs are accomplished to M32 or aircraft requesting FL350 or above can be stopped at FL310 and handed off to M31. They could then climb the aircraft in their airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZTL CTLR CONCERNED WITH HDOF PROBS WHEN ZME OPENS A ULTRAHIGH CTL SECTOR. WHEN THIS SECTOR IS OPENED, CTLR MUST MANUALLY INITIATE HDOF ACFT CLBING INTO THE SECTOR ALT STRATA. AUTOMATED HDOFS ARE ASSIGNED TO THE 'NORMAL OR USUAL' HIGH ALT CTL SECTOR. RPTR FILED UCR.

Narrative: WHEN THE TUPELO ULTRA-HIGH SECTOR (M32) IS OPEN IN ZME, DEPS OFF ATLANTA MUST BE SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED TO THAT SECTOR. IF THEY ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED THEY WILL AUTOMATICALLY HDOF TO THE MUSCLE SHOALS SECTOR (M31). THE PROB OCCURS WHEN THE GADSEN SECTOR (03) GETS BUSY THE ACFT CAN AUTOMATICALLY HDOF TO THE M31 SECTOR AND BE ACCEPTED BY THEM AND THE R SIDE CAN THINK THE D SIDE DIRECTED THE HDOF TO M32, AND THE D SIDE CAN THINK THE R SIDE DIRECTED THE HDOF WHEN IN FACT THE TRACK HANDED OFF TO THE WRONG SECTOR AUTOMATICALLY. WHEN THE GADSEN SECTOR IS BUSY THIS CONFUSION CAN ADD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF COORD TO AN ALREADY BUSY SECTOR. IF M31 DOES NOT HDOF THE ACFT TO M32 PRIOR TO THE BOUNDARY, GADSEN SECTOR IS GUILTY OF VIOLATING M32'S AIRSPACE. THIS SIT HAS BEEN ADDRESSED THROUGH UCR'S AND THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN THAT IT IS A ZME COMPUTER PROB AND IT CANNOT BE CORRECTED. WHILE IT MAY BE A COMPUTER PROB FOR MEMPHIS IT IS A SAFETY PROB FOR ZTL. IF A COMPUTER PATCH IS UNACCEPTABLE THEN A PROC NEEDS TO BE ESTABLISHED THAT WILL MAKE M31 RESPONSIBLE FOR INSURING THAT HDOFS ARE ACCOMPLISHED TO M32 OR ACFT REQUESTING FL350 OR ABOVE CAN BE STOPPED AT FL310 AND HANDED OFF TO M31. THEY COULD THEN CLB THE ACFT IN THEIR AIRSPACE.

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.