Narrative:

Currently in the O21 system coordinating inbound aircraft assigned block altitudes is too cumbersome to be an effective choice for the oceanic controllers. The work-around procedure for accepting the block fills 1/2 a page when written. Management has recognized the fact that the current procedure is not adequate; thus prohibiting the controllers from accepting block altitudes unless a supervisor is sitting with that controller throughout the coordination process. Additionally; if the area supervisor is busy with higher priority issues; a block altitude cannot be approved. Due to this procedure; the coordination process; which normally takes a matter of seconds; can turn into a several min ordeal when a block altitude is requested. The lack of aidc functionality has already led to a loss of separation and tied up the controller work force during periods when time management was critical. The approving of WX deviations is just as cumbersome and requires the assumption of control of the data block of the requesting aircraft in another facility's airspace. I believe there is a software solution available; but is unnecessarily being tied to implementation of atop at another ATC facility. This solution needs implementation at oakland ARTCC immediately!

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOA CTLR EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION REGARDING PROCS ASSOCIATED WITH NEW OCEANIC EQUIP AND RELATED STAFFING RESTRS.

Narrative: CURRENTLY IN THE O21 SYS COORDINATING INBOUND ACFT ASSIGNED BLOCK ALTS IS TOO CUMBERSOME TO BE AN EFFECTIVE CHOICE FOR THE OCEANIC CTLRS. THE WORK-AROUND PROC FOR ACCEPTING THE BLOCK FILLS 1/2 A PAGE WHEN WRITTEN. MGMNT HAS RECOGNIZED THE FACT THAT THE CURRENT PROC IS NOT ADEQUATE; THUS PROHIBITING THE CTLRS FROM ACCEPTING BLOCK ALTS UNLESS A SUPVR IS SITTING WITH THAT CTLR THROUGHOUT THE COORD PROCESS. ADDITIONALLY; IF THE AREA SUPVR IS BUSY WITH HIGHER PRIORITY ISSUES; A BLOCK ALT CANNOT BE APPROVED. DUE TO THIS PROC; THE COORD PROCESS; WHICH NORMALLY TAKES A MATTER OF SECONDS; CAN TURN INTO A SEVERAL MIN ORDEAL WHEN A BLOCK ALT IS REQUESTED. THE LACK OF AIDC FUNCTIONALITY HAS ALREADY LED TO A LOSS OF SEPARATION AND TIED UP THE CTLR WORK FORCE DURING PERIODS WHEN TIME MGMNT WAS CRITICAL. THE APPROVING OF WX DEVS IS JUST AS CUMBERSOME AND REQUIRES THE ASSUMPTION OF CTL OF THE DATA BLOCK OF THE REQUESTING ACFT IN ANOTHER FACILITY'S AIRSPACE. I BELIEVE THERE IS A SOFTWARE SOLUTION AVAILABLE; BUT IS UNNECESSARILY BEING TIED TO IMPLEMENTATION OF ATOP AT ANOTHER ATC FACILITY. THIS SOLUTION NEEDS IMPLEMENTATION AT OAKLAND ARTCC IMMEDIATELY!

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.