Narrative:

West area ZJX controllers were informed from an aircraft transiting from R73 allendale sector; a sector in the ZJX north area; that the pilot was 'looking for balloons.' since the controller was unaware of what the pilot was talking about; he inquired to the pilot's comment and was informed that the previous controller (R73) advised the pilot of multiple WX balloon releases along his route of flight. The controller working R79 baxley/waycross sectors called the R73 allendale controller and inquired about the WX balloon reports. The R73 controller said he was briefed on the WX balloon releases scheduled for the next 4 hours and that the balloons were to be released from PZD200035 up to FL400. This release point is located in the R12 albany sector; which is located in the west area of ZJX. As well; at the time winds were out of the north and would most likely blow the balloons south from the R12/R13 sector into the west area R28 tallahassee sector. The R79 controller; unaware of any WX balloon activity; questioned the west area supervisor (who also was unaware of the situation). The information had been passed to the west area via a gi message and was sitting in the flight strip printer bin. The supervisor found the strip and passed it along to the R79 controller; but failed to inform the R12/R13 albany/ashburn sector controller or the R28 tallahassee sector controller of the information. These controllers were not informed until the R79 controller questioned them if they were also aware of the balloon activity that would be impacting their airspace. This situation was a total lack of positive communication from the top down. The sector controllers should be aware of WX balloon activity in their airspace at all times! Something of such importance should have to be verbally passed instead of sent to the area via a gi message on a flight strip.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZJX CTLR CHRONICLES INTRAFAC COORD FAILURE WHEN SUPVR DID NOT INFORM ALL NECESSARY SECTORS OF WX BALLOON ACTIVITY.

Narrative: W AREA ZJX CTLRS WERE INFORMED FROM AN ACFT TRANSITING FROM R73 ALLENDALE SECTOR; A SECTOR IN THE ZJX N AREA; THAT THE PLT WAS 'LOOKING FOR BALLOONS.' SINCE THE CTLR WAS UNAWARE OF WHAT THE PLT WAS TALKING ABOUT; HE INQUIRED TO THE PLT'S COMMENT AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PREVIOUS CTLR (R73) ADVISED THE PLT OF MULTIPLE WX BALLOON RELEASES ALONG HIS RTE OF FLT. THE CTLR WORKING R79 BAXLEY/WAYCROSS SECTORS CALLED THE R73 ALLENDALE CTLR AND INQUIRED ABOUT THE WX BALLOON RPTS. THE R73 CTLR SAID HE WAS BRIEFED ON THE WX BALLOON RELEASES SCHEDULED FOR THE NEXT 4 HRS AND THAT THE BALLOONS WERE TO BE RELEASED FROM PZD200035 UP TO FL400. THIS RELEASE POINT IS LOCATED IN THE R12 ALBANY SECTOR; WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE W AREA OF ZJX. AS WELL; AT THE TIME WINDS WERE OUT OF THE N AND WOULD MOST LIKELY BLOW THE BALLOONS S FROM THE R12/R13 SECTOR INTO THE W AREA R28 TALLAHASSEE SECTOR. THE R79 CTLR; UNAWARE OF ANY WX BALLOON ACTIVITY; QUESTIONED THE W AREA SUPVR (WHO ALSO WAS UNAWARE OF THE SITUATION). THE INFO HAD BEEN PASSED TO THE W AREA VIA A GI MESSAGE AND WAS SITTING IN THE FLT STRIP PRINTER BIN. THE SUPVR FOUND THE STRIP AND PASSED IT ALONG TO THE R79 CTLR; BUT FAILED TO INFORM THE R12/R13 ALBANY/ASHBURN SECTOR CTLR OR THE R28 TALLAHASSEE SECTOR CTLR OF THE INFO. THESE CTLRS WERE NOT INFORMED UNTIL THE R79 CTLR QUESTIONED THEM IF THEY WERE ALSO AWARE OF THE BALLOON ACTIVITY THAT WOULD BE IMPACTING THEIR AIRSPACE. THIS SITUATION WAS A TOTAL LACK OF POSITIVE COM FROM THE TOP DOWN. THE SECTOR CTLRS SHOULD BE AWARE OF WX BALLOON ACTIVITY IN THEIR AIRSPACE AT ALL TIMES! SOMETHING OF SUCH IMPORTANCE SHOULD HAVE TO BE VERBALLY PASSED INSTEAD OF SENT TO THE AREA VIA A GI MESSAGE ON A FLT STRIP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.