Narrative:

Traffic management coordinators (tmc's) at ZLC have recently had new equipment installed. The tma (I'm uncertain what it stands for) is supposedly a super accurate predictive tool for sequencing arrival aircraft. The only problem is that tma has not been certified for use in ATC services; nor have tmc's had any official training on the equipment. This; however; has not stopped tmc's from issuing control instructions to sectors working live air traffic so they can 'practice' (actual phrase used by supervisory tmc when challenged on the apparent unauthorized use of tma) on the equipment. This practice has resulted in numerous unsafe/impossible restrs issued by tmc's. I'll cite a couple for specifics. 1) on numerous occasions aircraft which are normally routed over bvl BVL1 slc are issued routing via lcu BEARR4 slc. This causes these aircraft to enter ZLC sector 7 (arrival sector) less than 40 mi from slc at a 90 degree angle to the arrival stream. At this point arrival sequencing is mostly complete. The addition of even 1 more aircraft in this situation causes an extreme hardship on sector 7 controllers; forcing them to re-sequence many of their arriving aircraft. It makes for a frustrating and unsafe situation. 2) again on numerous occasions; sector 41 (boi high); which feeds sector 7; has been told to have a certain aircraft 'lose XXX mins' prior to entering sector 7. In almost every case the restr imposed is nearly impossible to make because it is given too close to the sector boundary. Yesterday I was told to have an aircraft lose 4 mins before sector 7. At the time I received the instruction the target aircraft was only 40 mi from the sector boundary. My only option at that point was to have the aircraft make a 360 degree turn; which resulted in my having to vector 4 other arrs behind this aircraft. At the time the sector was very busy; and the additional workload was certainly not needed nor warranted. This type of 'practice' occurs on a daily basis...still on uncertified equipment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZLC CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING TFC MGMNT PRACTICES AND EQUIP WITH REGARD TO SEQUENCING PROCS FOR SLC.

Narrative: TFC MGMNT COORDINATORS (TMC'S) AT ZLC HAVE RECENTLY HAD NEW EQUIP INSTALLED. THE TMA (I'M UNCERTAIN WHAT IT STANDS FOR) IS SUPPOSEDLY A SUPER ACCURATE PREDICTIVE TOOL FOR SEQUENCING ARR ACFT. THE ONLY PROB IS THAT TMA HAS NOT BEEN CERTIFIED FOR USE IN ATC SVCS; NOR HAVE TMC'S HAD ANY OFFICIAL TRAINING ON THE EQUIP. THIS; HOWEVER; HAS NOT STOPPED TMC'S FROM ISSUING CTL INSTRUCTIONS TO SECTORS WORKING LIVE AIR TFC SO THEY CAN 'PRACTICE' (ACTUAL PHRASE USED BY SUPERVISORY TMC WHEN CHALLENGED ON THE APPARENT UNAUTH USE OF TMA) ON THE EQUIP. THIS PRACTICE HAS RESULTED IN NUMEROUS UNSAFE/IMPOSSIBLE RESTRS ISSUED BY TMC'S. I'LL CITE A COUPLE FOR SPECIFICS. 1) ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ACFT WHICH ARE NORMALLY ROUTED OVER BVL BVL1 SLC ARE ISSUED ROUTING VIA LCU BEARR4 SLC. THIS CAUSES THESE ACFT TO ENTER ZLC SECTOR 7 (ARR SECTOR) LESS THAN 40 MI FROM SLC AT A 90 DEG ANGLE TO THE ARR STREAM. AT THIS POINT ARR SEQUENCING IS MOSTLY COMPLETE. THE ADDITION OF EVEN 1 MORE ACFT IN THIS SITUATION CAUSES AN EXTREME HARDSHIP ON SECTOR 7 CTLRS; FORCING THEM TO RE-SEQUENCE MANY OF THEIR ARRIVING ACFT. IT MAKES FOR A FRUSTRATING AND UNSAFE SITUATION. 2) AGAIN ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS; SECTOR 41 (BOI HIGH); WHICH FEEDS SECTOR 7; HAS BEEN TOLD TO HAVE A CERTAIN ACFT 'LOSE XXX MINS' PRIOR TO ENTERING SECTOR 7. IN ALMOST EVERY CASE THE RESTR IMPOSED IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE BECAUSE IT IS GIVEN TOO CLOSE TO THE SECTOR BOUNDARY. YESTERDAY I WAS TOLD TO HAVE AN ACFT LOSE 4 MINS BEFORE SECTOR 7. AT THE TIME I RECEIVED THE INSTRUCTION THE TARGET ACFT WAS ONLY 40 MI FROM THE SECTOR BOUNDARY. MY ONLY OPTION AT THAT POINT WAS TO HAVE THE ACFT MAKE A 360 DEG TURN; WHICH RESULTED IN MY HAVING TO VECTOR 4 OTHER ARRS BEHIND THIS ACFT. AT THE TIME THE SECTOR WAS VERY BUSY; AND THE ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD WAS CERTAINLY NOT NEEDED NOR WARRANTED. THIS TYPE OF 'PRACTICE' OCCURS ON A DAILY BASIS...STILL ON UNCERTIFIED EQUIP.

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.