ZNY controller concerned with controller application of separation standards and charting.

Attributes
ACN	483271
Time
Date	200008
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zny.artcc
State Reference	NY
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 16 controller radar : 16 controller time certified in position1 : 5
ASRS Report	483271
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : zny.artcc

Narrative:

This form is not about specific aircraft separation -- it is about the unacceptable way that we (the controllers) are expected to ensure separation. In the oceanic sectors at ZNY, the maps that we use are several yrs old. They are just penned in with changes. There is no scale/distance indicator, no dates or signatures for responsibility, and not all of the maps are the same scale. There are no measuring tools provided for accuracy, and to determine if an aircraft is crossing or head-on we fold a piece of paper at 45 degrees (give or take a degree or 2). (I actually went to the store and bought a 45 degree angle from the kid's school supplies $1.29.) we use grease pencils to draw angles on the maps. The line is actually several mi wide because the pencils are fat. Also, the maps are up on the 'overheads' approximately 5 ft high. I cannot reach most of the map to draw out angles. The whole system is old and inaccurate. I am expected to not make mistakes, but am not given the tools to do it right!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZNY CTLR CONCERNED WITH CTLR APPLICATION OF SEPARATION STANDARDS AND CHARTING.

Narrative: THIS FORM IS NOT ABOUT SPECIFIC ACFT SEPARATION -- IT IS ABOUT THE UNACCEPTABLE WAY THAT WE (THE CTLRS) ARE EXPECTED TO ENSURE SEPARATION. IN THE OCEANIC SECTORS AT ZNY, THE MAPS THAT WE USE ARE SEVERAL YRS OLD. THEY ARE JUST PENNED IN WITH CHANGES. THERE IS NO SCALE/DISTANCE INDICATOR, NO DATES OR SIGNATURES FOR RESPONSIBILITY, AND NOT ALL OF THE MAPS ARE THE SAME SCALE. THERE ARE NO MEASURING TOOLS PROVIDED FOR ACCURACY, AND TO DETERMINE IF AN ACFT IS XING OR HEAD-ON WE FOLD A PIECE OF PAPER AT 45 DEGS (GIVE OR TAKE A DEG OR 2). (I ACTUALLY WENT TO THE STORE AND BOUGHT A 45 DEG ANGLE FROM THE KID'S SCHOOL SUPPLIES $1.29.) WE USE GREASE PENCILS TO DRAW ANGLES ON THE MAPS. THE LINE IS ACTUALLY SEVERAL MI WIDE BECAUSE THE PENCILS ARE FAT. ALSO, THE MAPS ARE UP ON THE 'OVERHEADS' APPROX 5 FT HIGH. I CANNOT REACH MOST OF THE MAP TO DRAW OUT ANGLES. THE WHOLE SYS IS OLD AND INACCURATE. I AM EXPECTED TO NOT MAKE MISTAKES, BUT AM NOT GIVEN THE TOOLS TO DO IT RIGHT!

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.