Narrative:

This aircraft was inbound on the dodje 3 arrival; with instructions to cross dodje at and maintain 9000 ft. The handoff was initiated about 5 mins from the approach boundary; and the approach controller would not accept the handoff. Furthermore; they would not answer the coordination line. At 1 min from the boundary; action was taken to turn the aircraft away from dfw approach. During this process; they accepted the handoff. The aircraft was turned back onto the STAR and communications were xferred. This highlights problems with radar coverage and coordination with dfw approach. It is common for dfw approach to accept handoffs with less than 1 min from the boundary; compromising safety and efficiency to all parties involved. In order for the center to comply with regulations; dfw approach must accept handoffs or complete coordination in a timely manner that allows the xferring controller time to vector the aircraft away from dfw approach airspace. Dfw approach does not consider that aircraft flying between 250 and 300 KTS need 2-4 mins to be vectored to miss their airspace. In essence all handoffs are being accepted too late. This problem is aggravated on the south side of the boundary. Approach controllers often have trouble radar identing aircraft on dodje 3 arrival due to equipment limitations. These limitations make it virtually impossible to ensure the 2.5 mi boundary compliance with dfw approach. Finally; dfw approach has become increasingly difficult to coordinate with as they routinely ignore interphone xmissions. This creates needless anxiety that diminishes performance; safety; and efficiency. Corrective action should include increasing dfw approach awareness; resolving equipment limitations; and addressing poor coordination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZFW CONTROLLER VOICED CONCERN REGARDING D10 TRACON'S FREQUENT LATE ACCEPTANCE OF HANDOFFS; CITING POSSIBLE EQUIPMENT ISSUES AND FACILITY OPERATIONAL PRACTICES.

Narrative: THIS ACFT WAS INBOUND ON THE DODJE 3 ARR; WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO CROSS DODJE AT AND MAINTAIN 9000 FT. THE HDOF WAS INITIATED ABOUT 5 MINS FROM THE APCH BOUNDARY; AND THE APCH CTLR WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE HDOF. FURTHERMORE; THEY WOULD NOT ANSWER THE COORD LINE. AT 1 MIN FROM THE BOUNDARY; ACTION WAS TAKEN TO TURN THE ACFT AWAY FROM DFW APCH. DURING THIS PROCESS; THEY ACCEPTED THE HDOF. THE ACFT WAS TURNED BACK ONTO THE STAR AND COMS WERE XFERRED. THIS HIGHLIGHTS PROBS WITH RADAR COVERAGE AND COORD WITH DFW APCH. IT IS COMMON FOR DFW APCH TO ACCEPT HDOFS WITH LESS THAN 1 MIN FROM THE BOUNDARY; COMPROMISING SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY TO ALL PARTIES INVOLVED. IN ORDER FOR THE CTR TO COMPLY WITH REGS; DFW APCH MUST ACCEPT HDOFS OR COMPLETE COORD IN A TIMELY MANNER THAT ALLOWS THE XFERRING CTLR TIME TO VECTOR THE ACFT AWAY FROM DFW APCH AIRSPACE. DFW APCH DOES NOT CONSIDER THAT ACFT FLYING BTWN 250 AND 300 KTS NEED 2-4 MINS TO BE VECTORED TO MISS THEIR AIRSPACE. IN ESSENCE ALL HDOFS ARE BEING ACCEPTED TOO LATE. THIS PROB IS AGGRAVATED ON THE S SIDE OF THE BOUNDARY. APCH CTLRS OFTEN HAVE TROUBLE RADAR IDENTING ACFT ON DODJE 3 ARR DUE TO EQUIP LIMITATIONS. THESE LIMITATIONS MAKE IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ENSURE THE 2.5 MI BOUNDARY COMPLIANCE WITH DFW APCH. FINALLY; DFW APCH HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO COORDINATE WITH AS THEY ROUTINELY IGNORE INTERPHONE XMISSIONS. THIS CREATES NEEDLESS ANXIETY THAT DIMINISHES PERFORMANCE; SAFETY; AND EFFICIENCY. CORRECTIVE ACTION SHOULD INCLUDE INCREASING DFW APCH AWARENESS; RESOLVING EQUIP LIMITATIONS; AND ADDRESSING POOR COORD.

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.