Narrative:

The LOA between ZOA and vancouver center states that aircraft will be coordination at correct altitudes; times and route. Air carrier X was approaching vancouver center's airspace at a different altitude (FL320) than was previously xferred (FL300); vancouver center became aware of the situation when the flight checked on frequency a few mins before the flight reached their boundary fix kanua; thus avoiding an operational deviation; however; in violation of said LOA. ZOA sector 7 (OC7) is a non radar manual control sector position where flts come from a radar controled environment. That day; flts from the west coast were flying through ZSE radar controled airspace to my non radar manual sector OC7 for approximately 35 mins and then into vancouver center's radar controled airspace. I took over OC7 after air carrier X was already initially xferred to vancouver center by the previous controller. This was near the beginning of the afternoon rush to the far east where a flow program is in place because of the large number of flts departing from the west coast airports. The majority of the workload at the time of the incident are aircraft that come to ZSE's airspace; transit for approximately 35 mins prior to the ZOA/vancouver center boundary point kanua. While working the sector; I received numerous system messages regarding the flts approaching my airspace from ZSE that were still about 30-40 mins from my airspace. System messages consisted of erroneous oceanic loss of separation conflicts between aircraft along with discrepancies between our computer flight information and the aircraft's actual position. At times there were as many as 5 aircraft flashing red data blocks because they were in conflict. Sometimes our computer system is incorrectly displaying an aircraft flight data block flying and approaching my airspace but is actually still on the ground at the airport. We have to take the time to examine and investigate all of these situations and determine if the data is correct or just false data. Most of these aircraft have automatic dependent surveillance (ads) equipment on board which gives their exact position; altitude; speed; heading and other information. When a flight's ads information is different from our computer information; a message is generated every few mins sometimes up to as much as 15 times or more. I was receiving this message for almost every single flight. When ZSE called to xfer every flight coming to me; I had to deny certain flts at their present altitude because they were showing only 9 mins in trail flashing as conflicts. Oceanic non radar airspace requires at least 10 mins in trail for separation. Seattle then would tell me the flts actually have 14 or 15 mins in trail. ZSE called just before air carrier X entered my airspace at kylle requesting an altitude change from FL300 to FL320. Our brand new advanced technology and oceanic procedure system (atop); which we have just started using for only 7 months; now requires us to open a coordination window; input the new changes and see if the change produces a conflict or not. This is completely different from the way we worked the position compared to the previous system. We used to use flight strips to help us work the sector and write the changes on the strip to remind us to revise the information with the next facility. It could be a time change; altitude change; route or even a speed assignment. We would offset the flight strip and circle the revised information when it was passed along. Now with the new atop system; we are trained not to use any paper to write on since we have electronic flight strips. A generic message in our sector queue is generated to re-coordination information with the next facility but it is so generic that it does not state what needs to be re-coordination; but only that something is discrepant. Upon opening the coordination window; the entire flight plan including route; altitude and time; must be compared to see what is discrepant. This is very difficult to see when viewing the coordination window on the asd because the font is very small and is limited to a certain size. It's hard to read and distinguish between the numbers 8; 0; and 6; in the outgoing message box of the coordination window which is the information we read and give for xfer information. This new atop system started out with a 10 week training class for all oceanic controller and was eventually reduced to a 6 week training class. I had received numerous system messages to re-coordination the revision with vancouver center but due to incorrect data; the SOP is to wait until the flight gives a position report in our airspace at kylle and then revise the xfer time to vancouver for the next point kanua which is the vancouver boundary. If the kylle progress time is different by 3 mins or more; another system message to re-coordination with vancouver center is generated. The xfer is usually done by this time but we constantly get new messages to revise the xfer time. Almost every flight needed to be re-coordination. I kept getting the same message to re-coordination with vancouver and sometimes when I called them; they say I already gave them the revision. There were more loss of separation conflicts that kept flashing and needed to be investigated but eventually after air carrier X progressed kylle in my airspace; I called vancouver center to give the revisions on this flight and another one that was nearby. After opening the coordination window; I gave vancouver center a revision for another aircraft and then when I got to the air carrier X; I gave the time revision but inadvertently forgot to give the altitude change. The coordination window allows the controller to close the coordination window showing that all revised information was passed verbally and depicts this on the electronic flight strip. The generic sector queue notification and the coordination window is a known problem that will be corrected with a new program fix that will be installed they say sometime soon. As stated earlier; a generic message is generated to re-coordination information with the next facility but it is so generic that it does not state what needs to be re-coordination; only that something is discrepant. The new sector queue message will state exactly what needs to be revised with the next facility whether it is time; altitude route or WX deviation. Also; I'm told the new coordination window will also have the revised information highlighted to alert the controller what needs to be passed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOA CTLR EXPERIENCES LOA VIOLATION WHEN FAILING TO COORD ALT CHANGE WITH VANCOUVER ARTCC.

Narrative: THE LOA BTWN ZOA AND VANCOUVER CTR STATES THAT ACFT WILL BE COORD AT CORRECT ALTS; TIMES AND RTE. ACR X WAS APCHING VANCOUVER CTR'S AIRSPACE AT A DIFFERENT ALT (FL320) THAN WAS PREVIOUSLY XFERRED (FL300); VANCOUVER CTR BECAME AWARE OF THE SITUATION WHEN THE FLT CHKED ON FREQ A FEW MINS BEFORE THE FLT REACHED THEIR BOUNDARY FIX KANUA; THUS AVOIDING AN OPDEV; HOWEVER; IN VIOLATION OF SAID LOA. ZOA SECTOR 7 (OC7) IS A NON RADAR MANUAL CTL SECTOR POS WHERE FLTS COME FROM A RADAR CTLED ENVIRONMENT. THAT DAY; FLTS FROM THE WEST COAST WERE FLYING THROUGH ZSE RADAR CTLED AIRSPACE TO MY NON RADAR MANUAL SECTOR OC7 FOR APPROX 35 MINS AND THEN INTO VANCOUVER CTR'S RADAR CTLED AIRSPACE. I TOOK OVER OC7 AFTER ACR X WAS ALREADY INITIALLY XFERRED TO VANCOUVER CTR BY THE PREVIOUS CTLR. THIS WAS NEAR THE BEGINNING OF THE AFTERNOON RUSH TO THE FAR EAST WHERE A FLOW PROGRAM IS IN PLACE BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF FLTS DEPARTING FROM THE WEST COAST ARPTS. THE MAJORITY OF THE WORKLOAD AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT ARE ACFT THAT COME TO ZSE'S AIRSPACE; TRANSIT FOR APPROX 35 MINS PRIOR TO THE ZOA/VANCOUVER CTR BOUNDARY POINT KANUA. WHILE WORKING THE SECTOR; I RECEIVED NUMEROUS SYS MESSAGES REGARDING THE FLTS APCHING MY AIRSPACE FROM ZSE THAT WERE STILL ABOUT 30-40 MINS FROM MY AIRSPACE. SYS MESSAGES CONSISTED OF ERRONEOUS OCEANIC LOSS OF SEPARATION CONFLICTS BTWN ACFT ALONG WITH DISCREPANCIES BTWN OUR COMPUTER FLT INFO AND THE ACFT'S ACTUAL POS. AT TIMES THERE WERE AS MANY AS 5 ACFT FLASHING RED DATA BLOCKS BECAUSE THEY WERE IN CONFLICT. SOMETIMES OUR COMPUTER SYS IS INCORRECTLY DISPLAYING AN ACFT FLT DATA BLOCK FLYING AND APCHING MY AIRSPACE BUT IS ACTUALLY STILL ON THE GND AT THE ARPT. WE HAVE TO TAKE THE TIME TO EXAMINE AND INVESTIGATE ALL OF THESE SITUATIONS AND DETERMINE IF THE DATA IS CORRECT OR JUST FALSE DATA. MOST OF THESE ACFT HAVE AUTOMATIC DEPENDENT SURVEILLANCE (ADS) EQUIP ON BOARD WHICH GIVES THEIR EXACT POS; ALT; SPD; HDG AND OTHER INFO. WHEN A FLT'S ADS INFO IS DIFFERENT FROM OUR COMPUTER INFO; A MESSAGE IS GENERATED EVERY FEW MINS SOMETIMES UP TO AS MUCH AS 15 TIMES OR MORE. I WAS RECEIVING THIS MESSAGE FOR ALMOST EVERY SINGLE FLT. WHEN ZSE CALLED TO XFER EVERY FLT COMING TO ME; I HAD TO DENY CERTAIN FLTS AT THEIR PRESENT ALT BECAUSE THEY WERE SHOWING ONLY 9 MINS IN TRAIL FLASHING AS CONFLICTS. OCEANIC NON RADAR AIRSPACE REQUIRES AT LEAST 10 MINS IN TRAIL FOR SEPARATION. SEATTLE THEN WOULD TELL ME THE FLTS ACTUALLY HAVE 14 OR 15 MINS IN TRAIL. ZSE CALLED JUST BEFORE ACR X ENTERED MY AIRSPACE AT KYLLE REQUESTING AN ALT CHANGE FROM FL300 TO FL320. OUR BRAND NEW ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AND OCEANIC PROC SYS (ATOP); WHICH WE HAVE JUST STARTED USING FOR ONLY 7 MONTHS; NOW REQUIRES US TO OPEN A COORD WINDOW; INPUT THE NEW CHANGES AND SEE IF THE CHANGE PRODUCES A CONFLICT OR NOT. THIS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE WAY WE WORKED THE POS COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS SYS. WE USED TO USE FLT STRIPS TO HELP US WORK THE SECTOR AND WRITE THE CHANGES ON THE STRIP TO REMIND US TO REVISE THE INFO WITH THE NEXT FACILITY. IT COULD BE A TIME CHANGE; ALT CHANGE; RTE OR EVEN A SPD ASSIGNMENT. WE WOULD OFFSET THE FLT STRIP AND CIRCLE THE REVISED INFO WHEN IT WAS PASSED ALONG. NOW WITH THE NEW ATOP SYS; WE ARE TRAINED NOT TO USE ANY PAPER TO WRITE ON SINCE WE HAVE ELECTRONIC FLT STRIPS. A GENERIC MESSAGE IN OUR SECTOR QUEUE IS GENERATED TO RE-COORD INFO WITH THE NEXT FACILITY BUT IT IS SO GENERIC THAT IT DOES NOT STATE WHAT NEEDS TO BE RE-COORD; BUT ONLY THAT SOMETHING IS DISCREPANT. UPON OPENING THE COORD WINDOW; THE ENTIRE FLT PLAN INCLUDING RTE; ALT AND TIME; MUST BE COMPARED TO SEE WHAT IS DISCREPANT. THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE WHEN VIEWING THE COORD WINDOW ON THE ASD BECAUSE THE FONT IS VERY SMALL AND IS LIMITED TO A CERTAIN SIZE. IT'S HARD TO READ AND DISTINGUISH BTWN THE NUMBERS 8; 0; AND 6; IN THE OUTGOING MESSAGE BOX OF THE COORD WINDOW WHICH IS THE INFO WE READ AND GIVE FOR XFER INFO. THIS NEW ATOP SYS STARTED OUT WITH A 10 WK TRAINING CLASS FOR ALL OCEANIC CTLR AND WAS EVENTUALLY REDUCED TO A 6 WK TRAINING CLASS. I HAD RECEIVED NUMEROUS SYS MESSAGES TO RE-COORD THE REVISION WITH VANCOUVER CTR BUT DUE TO INCORRECT DATA; THE SOP IS TO WAIT UNTIL THE FLT GIVES A POS RPT IN OUR AIRSPACE AT KYLLE AND THEN REVISE THE XFER TIME TO VANCOUVER FOR THE NEXT POINT KANUA WHICH IS THE VANCOUVER BOUNDARY. IF THE KYLLE PROGRESS TIME IS DIFFERENT BY 3 MINS OR MORE; ANOTHER SYS MESSAGE TO RE-COORD WITH VANCOUVER CTR IS GENERATED. THE XFER IS USUALLY DONE BY THIS TIME BUT WE CONSTANTLY GET NEW MESSAGES TO REVISE THE XFER TIME. ALMOST EVERY FLT NEEDED TO BE RE-COORD. I KEPT GETTING THE SAME MESSAGE TO RE-COORD WITH VANCOUVER AND SOMETIMES WHEN I CALLED THEM; THEY SAY I ALREADY GAVE THEM THE REVISION. THERE WERE MORE LOSS OF SEPARATION CONFLICTS THAT KEPT FLASHING AND NEEDED TO BE INVESTIGATED BUT EVENTUALLY AFTER ACR X PROGRESSED KYLLE IN MY AIRSPACE; I CALLED VANCOUVER CTR TO GIVE THE REVISIONS ON THIS FLT AND ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS NEARBY. AFTER OPENING THE COORD WINDOW; I GAVE VANCOUVER CTR A REVISION FOR ANOTHER ACFT AND THEN WHEN I GOT TO THE ACR X; I GAVE THE TIME REVISION BUT INADVERTENTLY FORGOT TO GIVE THE ALT CHANGE. THE COORD WINDOW ALLOWS THE CTLR TO CLOSE THE COORD WINDOW SHOWING THAT ALL REVISED INFO WAS PASSED VERBALLY AND DEPICTS THIS ON THE ELECTRONIC FLT STRIP. THE GENERIC SECTOR QUEUE NOTIFICATION AND THE COORD WINDOW IS A KNOWN PROB THAT WILL BE CORRECTED WITH A NEW PROGRAM FIX THAT WILL BE INSTALLED THEY SAY SOMETIME SOON. AS STATED EARLIER; A GENERIC MESSAGE IS GENERATED TO RE-COORD INFO WITH THE NEXT FACILITY BUT IT IS SO GENERIC THAT IT DOES NOT STATE WHAT NEEDS TO BE RE-COORD; ONLY THAT SOMETHING IS DISCREPANT. THE NEW SECTOR QUEUE MESSAGE WILL STATE EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE REVISED WITH THE NEXT FACILITY WHETHER IT IS TIME; ALT RTE OR WX DEV. ALSO; I'M TOLD THE NEW COORD WINDOW WILL ALSO HAVE THE REVISED INFO HIGHLIGHTED TO ALERT THE CTLR WHAT NEEDS TO BE PASSED.

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.