Narrative:

Until recently; potomac TRACON (pct) controllers were provided overflt strips for all aircraft transiting their sector; but landing at an airport in another pct controller's sector. The overflt strips include route and altitude information. Now controllers are provided arrival strips for the overflts. The arrival strips contain no route or altitude information. When a controller outside of pct hands off an aircraft to pct; no route information is available and the altitude is only available on the ARTS tag. If that aircraft is climbing or descending; the pct controller will not know the assigned altitude unless verbal coordination is effected; thereby increasing the workload and creating an unnecessary distraction. This change in strips was apparently intended to reduce the amount of flight progress strips used at pct. However; it takes away critical information from controllers; which could result in a very dangerous situation. The facility needs to return to the use of overflt strips for all overflt aircraft within pct airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PCT CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING A NEW FACILITY FLT STRIP POLICY THAT LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF INFO ON OVERFLT TFC.

Narrative: UNTIL RECENTLY; POTOMAC TRACON (PCT) CTLRS WERE PROVIDED OVERFLT STRIPS FOR ALL ACFT TRANSITING THEIR SECTOR; BUT LNDG AT AN ARPT IN ANOTHER PCT CTLR'S SECTOR. THE OVERFLT STRIPS INCLUDE RTE AND ALT INFO. NOW CTLRS ARE PROVIDED ARR STRIPS FOR THE OVERFLTS. THE ARR STRIPS CONTAIN NO RTE OR ALT INFO. WHEN A CTLR OUTSIDE OF PCT HANDS OFF AN ACFT TO PCT; NO RTE INFO IS AVAILABLE AND THE ALT IS ONLY AVAILABLE ON THE ARTS TAG. IF THAT ACFT IS CLBING OR DSNDING; THE PCT CTLR WILL NOT KNOW THE ASSIGNED ALT UNLESS VERBAL COORD IS EFFECTED; THEREBY INCREASING THE WORKLOAD AND CREATING AN UNNECESSARY DISTR. THIS CHANGE IN STRIPS WAS APPARENTLY INTENDED TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF FLT PROGRESS STRIPS USED AT PCT. HOWEVER; IT TAKES AWAY CRITICAL INFO FROM CTLRS; WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE FACILITY NEEDS TO RETURN TO THE USE OF OVERFLT STRIPS FOR ALL OVERFLT ACFT WITHIN PCT AIRSPACE.

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.