Narrative:

Sometime either late monday evening aug/xa/06 or early tuesday morning aug/xb/06; a military pilot asked the controller on frequency if he was aware of the new higher minimum altitudes for most of the approachs at ngp. After some investigation by the supervisor; the new approach plates were located (effective date aug/06) and indeed the altitudes had changed from 1500 ft to 1600 ft. To my knowledge the new approach plates had not been previously made available and no one had been briefed of any changes. Later that day an item was posted in the read and initial binder and on the position along with copies of the new approach plates. This included changes to our local sector confign and procedures. We have an area called the 'port area' where one sector owns 1500 ft and below and the adjacent sector owns 1600 ft and above. Therefore; any aircraft executing these approachs per the new approach plates were likely in another controller's airspace without coordination. Over these 5+ days there were probably more than 100 such approachs made. Later that day the new approachs were posted in our ids. The staff specialist for plans and procedures told me that for civilian approachs we usually get an advance notice of changes to the approachs approximately 30 days or so before they go into effect. That gives him time to conduct briefings and post the changes; etc. For the military approachs the group that writes the approachs for the military is not so good about giving notice of changes. I'm not sure when the new approach plates were in the building; but the pps says he received no prior notice of changes. Several other controllers and I notified our supervisors.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRP CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING LATE NOTIFICATION ON CHANGED MIL APCH PROCS.

Narrative: SOMETIME EITHER LATE MONDAY EVENING AUG/XA/06 OR EARLY TUESDAY MORNING AUG/XB/06; A MIL PLT ASKED THE CTLR ON FREQ IF HE WAS AWARE OF THE NEW HIGHER MINIMUM ALTS FOR MOST OF THE APCHS AT NGP. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION BY THE SUPVR; THE NEW APCH PLATES WERE LOCATED (EFFECTIVE DATE AUG/06) AND INDEED THE ALTS HAD CHANGED FROM 1500 FT TO 1600 FT. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THE NEW APCH PLATES HAD NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY MADE AVAILABLE AND NO ONE HAD BEEN BRIEFED OF ANY CHANGES. LATER THAT DAY AN ITEM WAS POSTED IN THE READ AND INITIAL BINDER AND ON THE POS ALONG WITH COPIES OF THE NEW APCH PLATES. THIS INCLUDED CHANGES TO OUR LCL SECTOR CONFIGN AND PROCS. WE HAVE AN AREA CALLED THE 'PORT AREA' WHERE ONE SECTOR OWNS 1500 FT AND BELOW AND THE ADJACENT SECTOR OWNS 1600 FT AND ABOVE. THEREFORE; ANY ACFT EXECUTING THESE APCHS PER THE NEW APCH PLATES WERE LIKELY IN ANOTHER CTLR'S AIRSPACE WITHOUT COORD. OVER THESE 5+ DAYS THERE WERE PROBABLY MORE THAN 100 SUCH APCHS MADE. LATER THAT DAY THE NEW APCHS WERE POSTED IN OUR IDS. THE STAFF SPECIALIST FOR PLANS AND PROCS TOLD ME THAT FOR CIVILIAN APCHS WE USUALLY GET AN ADVANCE NOTICE OF CHANGES TO THE APCHS APPROX 30 DAYS OR SO BEFORE THEY GO INTO EFFECT. THAT GIVES HIM TIME TO CONDUCT BRIEFINGS AND POST THE CHANGES; ETC. FOR THE MIL APCHS THE GROUP THAT WRITES THE APCHS FOR THE MIL IS NOT SO GOOD ABOUT GIVING NOTICE OF CHANGES. I'M NOT SURE WHEN THE NEW APCH PLATES WERE IN THE BUILDING; BUT THE PPS SAYS HE RECEIVED NO PRIOR NOTICE OF CHANGES. SEVERAL OTHER CTLRS AND I NOTIFIED OUR SUPVRS.

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.