Pct controller described new procedure that requires pct controller to issue STAR to dca arrs; witho...

Attributes
ACN	713720
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bal.vortac
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem.tracon
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 13
ASRS Report	713720
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : supervisor
Events
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : pct.tracon

Narrative:

On oct/sat/06; pct TRACON; implemented a change in procedure with no briefing items. Dca airport recently acquired a STAR called the national 1 arrival. Due to automation problems; whatever they are; ZNY refuses to issue this STAR to arrival aircraft over the balance VOR. These aircraft talk to the first pct controller for approximately 10 mi before a handoff to another sector. The first pct sector is called the wooly sector. This sector is very busy with overflts; departures from bwi and arrs into dca. This sector seldom has time to issue the arrival information to dca traffic due to complexity. Operations manager has decided; by himself to force the wooly controllers at pct to issue the arrival. This is a brand new procedure for these controllers; and if the controller forgets; the pilot could wander into P56 (prohibited area around the white house). This would then result in an operational deviation for the wooly controller for failure to issue the arrival information. It can be very easily forgotten when the controller is busy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PCT CTLR DESCRIBED NEW PROC THAT REQUIRES PCT CTLR TO ISSUE STAR TO DCA ARRS; WITHOUT BRIEFING ITEMS.

Narrative: ON OCT/SAT/06; PCT TRACON; IMPLEMENTED A CHANGE IN PROC WITH NO BRIEFING ITEMS. DCA ARPT RECENTLY ACQUIRED A STAR CALLED THE NATL 1 ARR. DUE TO AUTOMATION PROBS; WHATEVER THEY ARE; ZNY REFUSES TO ISSUE THIS STAR TO ARR ACFT OVER THE BAL VOR. THESE ACFT TALK TO THE FIRST PCT CTLR FOR APPROX 10 MI BEFORE A HDOF TO ANOTHER SECTOR. THE FIRST PCT SECTOR IS CALLED THE WOOLY SECTOR. THIS SECTOR IS VERY BUSY WITH OVERFLTS; DEPS FROM BWI AND ARRS INTO DCA. THIS SECTOR SELDOM HAS TIME TO ISSUE THE ARR INFO TO DCA TFC DUE TO COMPLEXITY. OPS MGR HAS DECIDED; BY HIMSELF TO FORCE THE WOOLY CTLRS AT PCT TO ISSUE THE ARR. THIS IS A BRAND NEW PROC FOR THESE CTLRS; AND IF THE CTLR FORGETS; THE PLT COULD WANDER INTO P56 (PROHIBITED AREA AROUND THE WHITE HOUSE). THIS WOULD THEN RESULT IN AN OPDEV FOR THE WOOLY CTLR FOR FAILURE TO ISSUE THE ARR INFO. IT CAN BE VERY EASILY FORGOTTEN WHEN THE CTLR IS BUSY.

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.

Pct controller described new procedure that requires pct controller to issue STAR to dca arrs; without briefing items.