Narrative:

I was working high altitude (FL240 and above). At this time, my workload was moderate with several transitioning aircraft on the frequency. 1 aircraft on my frequency was aircraft X, a B757, eastbound at FL370. I accepted an automated handoff on aircraft Y, a WW24, climbing out of FL280. I could see that aircraft Y was requesting FL390, but I was expecting an apreq, as required. A few mins later when aircraft Y was in my airspace and climbing out of FL300, I began looking for the controller that was talking to aircraft Y. The xferring controller stated that he had shipped the aircraft a couple mins ago. After about 1 min of trying to contact aircraft Y, I was finally able to communicate with him. At this time, aircraft Y was climbing out of FL335 for FL390 about 10 mi head-on with aircraft X. I was able to stop the climb of aircraft Y, however, had an apreq been done, as required, this would never be an issue. In addition, when these types of sits are addressed to a supervisor, they will almost always respond with the attitude that 'no harm, no foul.' to me, this indicates that when someone gets hurt they will intervene. In my opinion this is a very unsafe condition. I am not indicating that I want to 'get someone in trouble,' but I do want to provide the user with the safest possible system we can. The apreq rules are in place to provide the user with a safe system. I don't understand why we tolerate the shortcomings of our system. The user deserves better.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR EXPECTS CLB COORD FROM OTHER CTLR FOR WW24 AT FL180 WITH A REQUESTED FINAL ALT OF FL390. COORD DOES NOT TAKE PLACE BY XFERRING CTLR AND RECEIVING CTLR OBSERVES WW24 CLBING OUT OF FL330 WITH TFC 10 MI AHEAD. CTLR PERCEIVES LACK OF CONCERN BY SUPVRS AND OTHER CTLR'S LACK OF CONCERN FOR REQUIRED PROCS.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING HIGH ALT (FL240 AND ABOVE). AT THIS TIME, MY WORKLOAD WAS MODERATE WITH SEVERAL TRANSITIONING ACFT ON THE FREQ. 1 ACFT ON MY FREQ WAS ACFT X, A B757, EBOUND AT FL370. I ACCEPTED AN AUTOMATED HDOF ON ACFT Y, A WW24, CLBING OUT OF FL280. I COULD SEE THAT ACFT Y WAS REQUESTING FL390, BUT I WAS EXPECTING AN APREQ, AS REQUIRED. A FEW MINS LATER WHEN ACFT Y WAS IN MY AIRSPACE AND CLBING OUT OF FL300, I BEGAN LOOKING FOR THE CTLR THAT WAS TALKING TO ACFT Y. THE XFERRING CTLR STATED THAT HE HAD SHIPPED THE ACFT A COUPLE MINS AGO. AFTER ABOUT 1 MIN OF TRYING TO CONTACT ACFT Y, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIM. AT THIS TIME, ACFT Y WAS CLBING OUT OF FL335 FOR FL390 ABOUT 10 MI HEAD-ON WITH ACFT X. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CLB OF ACFT Y, HOWEVER, HAD AN APREQ BEEN DONE, AS REQUIRED, THIS WOULD NEVER BE AN ISSUE. IN ADDITION, WHEN THESE TYPES OF SITS ARE ADDRESSED TO A SUPVR, THEY WILL ALMOST ALWAYS RESPOND WITH THE ATTITUDE THAT 'NO HARM, NO FOUL.' TO ME, THIS INDICATES THAT WHEN SOMEONE GETS HURT THEY WILL INTERVENE. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION. I AM NOT INDICATING THAT I WANT TO 'GET SOMEONE IN TROUBLE,' BUT I DO WANT TO PROVIDE THE USER WITH THE SAFEST POSSIBLE SYS WE CAN. THE APREQ RULES ARE IN PLACE TO PROVIDE THE USER WITH A SAFE SYS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE TOLERATE THE SHORTCOMINGS OF OUR SYS. THE USER DESERVES BETTER.

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.