Narrative:

I am currently a training fpl involved in ZDV's attempt to reconfigure from 5 areas of specialization to 6. My professional opinion of the training I have received to date is that; it has been very poor and inconsistent. In may/2006; I was certified on denver sector 14. Between may and the end of august; I was afforded limited opportunity to work the sector I was newly certified on. This was due to the high number of controllers training on sector 14 as well as the necessity of me to staff other sectors that I am certified on. In august; I was assigned 'currency time' on sector 14. When I reported for duty; I noticed that the sector was going to be 'red' in 75 mins. I notified the supervisor that I have had limited chances to work the sector since I had been certified and that it would be best if I moved to the radar associate position and a more experienced controller take the radar. The supervisor concurred with my opinion and planned accordingly. At some point; the first supervisor I had spoken to was relieved and a new supervisor took over. To the best of my knowledge; the relieving supervisor was briefed as to the situation on sector 14. At approximately 75 mins into my session on sector 14 radar; a training team was assigned to sector 14 radar associate position. I was expected to work the 'red' period on sector 14 radar despite what had previously transpired between myself and the supervisor. By now; the sector was being impacted by thunderstorms; and by the time I was relieved the sector became completely unmanageable. There was a heavy arrival rush going on with numerous WX deviations. We received no assistance from traffic management or surrounding sectors. While attempting to resolve one conflict between a denver arriving aircraft and an overflt aircraft; I inadvertently descended the den arrival into conflict with another overflt aircraft. The pilot over the overflt did report receiving an RA but; separation was not lost. The sequence for the denver arriving aircraft was poorly handled by me. I believe this is a direct result of the lack of opportunity I had to become more experienced and proficient on sector 14 radar. The ZDV plan required controllers to stay current and proficient on 12 sectors; to train and be trained on the same shift; to train on extended periods of low volume traffic in order to 'get time.' I have expressed my professional concerns to various members of management at ZDV. This has not changed the manner in which training is being conducted. To the best of my knowledge; management intends to 'FLIP the switch' on area 6 in jan/2007. I contend this will result in a serious degradation of safety at ZDV.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDV CTLR EXPERIENCED CONFLICT DURING BUSY TFC PERIOD CITING LACK OF SUFFICIENT CURRENCY TO HANDLE SECTOR AND FACILITY TRAINING POLICY AS FACTORS.

Narrative: I AM CURRENTLY A TRAINING FPL INVOLVED IN ZDV'S ATTEMPT TO RECONFIGURE FROM 5 AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION TO 6. MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION OF THE TRAINING I HAVE RECEIVED TO DATE IS THAT; IT HAS BEEN VERY POOR AND INCONSISTENT. IN MAY/2006; I WAS CERTIFIED ON DENVER SECTOR 14. BTWN MAY AND THE END OF AUGUST; I WAS AFFORDED LIMITED OPPORTUNITY TO WORK THE SECTOR I WAS NEWLY CERTIFIED ON. THIS WAS DUE TO THE HIGH NUMBER OF CTLRS TRAINING ON SECTOR 14 AS WELL AS THE NECESSITY OF ME TO STAFF OTHER SECTORS THAT I AM CERTIFIED ON. IN AUGUST; I WAS ASSIGNED 'CURRENCY TIME' ON SECTOR 14. WHEN I RPTED FOR DUTY; I NOTICED THAT THE SECTOR WAS GOING TO BE 'RED' IN 75 MINS. I NOTIFIED THE SUPVR THAT I HAVE HAD LIMITED CHANCES TO WORK THE SECTOR SINCE I HAD BEEN CERTIFIED AND THAT IT WOULD BE BEST IF I MOVED TO THE RADAR ASSOCIATE POS AND A MORE EXPERIENCED CTLR TAKE THE RADAR. THE SUPVR CONCURRED WITH MY OPINION AND PLANNED ACCORDINGLY. AT SOME POINT; THE FIRST SUPVR I HAD SPOKEN TO WAS RELIEVED AND A NEW SUPVR TOOK OVER. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE; THE RELIEVING SUPVR WAS BRIEFED AS TO THE SITUATION ON SECTOR 14. AT APPROX 75 MINS INTO MY SESSION ON SECTOR 14 RADAR; A TRAINING TEAM WAS ASSIGNED TO SECTOR 14 RADAR ASSOCIATE POS. I WAS EXPECTED TO WORK THE 'RED' PERIOD ON SECTOR 14 RADAR DESPITE WHAT HAD PREVIOUSLY TRANSPIRED BTWN MYSELF AND THE SUPVR. BY NOW; THE SECTOR WAS BEING IMPACTED BY TSTMS; AND BY THE TIME I WAS RELIEVED THE SECTOR BECAME COMPLETELY UNMANAGEABLE. THERE WAS A HVY ARR RUSH GOING ON WITH NUMEROUS WX DEVS. WE RECEIVED NO ASSISTANCE FROM TFC MGMNT OR SURROUNDING SECTORS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE ONE CONFLICT BTWN A DENVER ARRIVING ACFT AND AN OVERFLT ACFT; I INADVERTENTLY DSNDED THE DEN ARR INTO CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER OVERFLT ACFT. THE PLT OVER THE OVERFLT DID RPT RECEIVING AN RA BUT; SEPARATION WAS NOT LOST. THE SEQUENCE FOR THE DENVER ARRIVING ACFT WAS POORLY HANDLED BY ME. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE LACK OF OPPORTUNITY I HAD TO BECOME MORE EXPERIENCED AND PROFICIENT ON SECTOR 14 RADAR. THE ZDV PLAN REQUIRED CTLRS TO STAY CURRENT AND PROFICIENT ON 12 SECTORS; TO TRAIN AND BE TRAINED ON THE SAME SHIFT; TO TRAIN ON EXTENDED PERIODS OF LOW VOLUME TFC IN ORDER TO 'GET TIME.' I HAVE EXPRESSED MY PROFESSIONAL CONCERNS TO VARIOUS MEMBERS OF MGMNT AT ZDV. THIS HAS NOT CHANGED THE MANNER IN WHICH TRAINING IS BEING CONDUCTED. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE; MGMNT INTENDS TO 'FLIP THE SWITCH' ON AREA 6 IN JAN/2007. I CONTEND THIS WILL RESULT IN A SERIOUS DEGRADATION OF SAFETY AT ZDV.

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.