Narrative:

The problem I am going to describe has been going on long before I arrived; and attempts to rectify the situation have failed. When a request for IFR release is made by jnu from zan; and they issue an altitude other than what is requested; many zan controllers do not issue an 'expect higher altitude' (time/place/distance) as stated in order 7110.65P 4-5-8. And if a jnu controller asks; 'when can they expect higher?' we may get a time/place/altitude; but just as often we may get an answer like: after departure! When contacting zan! I don't know! On radar contact! Or some other comment that does not comply with the intent of 7110.65P; which we believe is so that the pilot may reach his or her requested altitude in case of radio failure. It has been suggested to our manager on more than one occasion to put wording in our LOA such as: 'expect higher 10 mins after departure' -- for all aircraft issued other than requested altitude. This would be similar to LOA's between zan and fai/anc. Our manager has attempted to get something like this implemented with zan without success. Jnu tower was recently evaluated and jnu controllers discussed this problem with the evaluation team. They were advised they would bring it to zan's attention.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: JNU CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING LACK OF 'EXPECT HIGHER ALT' REQUIREMENTS COORD WITH ZAN.

Narrative: THE PROB I AM GOING TO DESCRIBE HAS BEEN GOING ON LONG BEFORE I ARRIVED; AND ATTEMPTS TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION HAVE FAILED. WHEN A REQUEST FOR IFR RELEASE IS MADE BY JNU FROM ZAN; AND THEY ISSUE AN ALT OTHER THAN WHAT IS REQUESTED; MANY ZAN CTLRS DO NOT ISSUE AN 'EXPECT HIGHER ALT' (TIME/PLACE/DISTANCE) AS STATED IN ORDER 7110.65P 4-5-8. AND IF A JNU CTLR ASKS; 'WHEN CAN THEY EXPECT HIGHER?' WE MAY GET A TIME/PLACE/ALT; BUT JUST AS OFTEN WE MAY GET AN ANSWER LIKE: AFTER DEP! WHEN CONTACTING ZAN! I DON'T KNOW! ON RADAR CONTACT! OR SOME OTHER COMMENT THAT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE INTENT OF 7110.65P; WHICH WE BELIEVE IS SO THAT THE PLT MAY REACH HIS OR HER REQUESTED ALT IN CASE OF RADIO FAILURE. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO OUR MGR ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION TO PUT WORDING IN OUR LOA SUCH AS: 'EXPECT HIGHER 10 MINS AFTER DEP' -- FOR ALL ACFT ISSUED OTHER THAN REQUESTED ALT. THIS WOULD BE SIMILAR TO LOA'S BTWN ZAN AND FAI/ANC. OUR MGR HAS ATTEMPTED TO GET SOMETHING LIKE THIS IMPLEMENTED WITH ZAN WITHOUT SUCCESS. JNU TWR WAS RECENTLY EVALUATED AND JNU CTLRS DISCUSSED THIS PROB WITH THE EVALUATION TEAM. THEY WERE ADVISED THEY WOULD BRING IT TO ZAN'S ATTN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.