Narrative:

The incident in question occurred at the harly sector. I was working the radar associate position. Aircraft X; a prop off dpa; was shipped to the harly sector from chicago TRACON; climbing to 11;000; northbound. The radar controller climbed the aircraft to his requested final attitude of FL210. Chicago O'hare's airspace is up to 15;000 in this area; and the harly sector does not have control to climb props.this situation occurred; in my opinion; due to the extremely complex layout of airspace and letters of agreement between chicago center; milwaukee approach; and chicago TRACON. These letters; as well as the change of airspace; went into affect very recently on sunday; november 15; 2009. Chicago TRACON's airspace underlying the harly sector is split east and west. On the west side; chicago TRACON owns up to 13;000 feet. On the east side; chicago TRACON owns up to 15;000 feet. The airspace is divided to accommodate chicago TRACON departures north; which go up the east side; and milwaukee approach departures south; which go down the west side. Additionally; there are climb corridors extending into both milwaukee approach and chicago TRACON's airspace. The purpose of these corridors is to avoid either chicago TRACON or milwaukee approach from having to make point-out's. Milwaukee approach jets departing south are cleared to 13;000 feet by milwaukee approach and handed off to chicago center harly sector on a 180 heading within a south departure corridor. The harly sector has control for 20 degree turns on these aircraft; but must keep them in the corridor until they are out of 14;000 feet. The width of this corridor between the farmm/malta and chicago TRACON airspace; however; is only 3.5 miles. Milwaukee approach climbs southbound props to 11;000 feet. The harly sector has control to climb these aircraft (milwaukee TRACON owns up to 13;000 feet). However; if harly does climb these props; then harly is responsible for separation from any other jets that milwaukee approach has released southbound. Chicago TRACON clears northbound departures to 15;000 feet on a 360 heading on the east side of the corridor. Props which depart in chicago TRACON's airspace may be handed off to milwaukee approach climbing to 11;000 feet. Milwaukee approach will then hand these aircraft off to the harly sector. If the harly sector accepts the hand off within the east departure corridor within milwaukee's airspace; harly is required to climb these aircraft on initial contact. If the harly sector climbs these aircraft; however; they are again responsible for separating them from jets departing north from chicago TRACON. These jets are climbing to 15;000 feet. In our briefings on the airspace and procedures change; emphasis was put on the fact that the harly sector shall climb northbound props if they are shipped south of the northern boundary of the east climb corridor. It became unclear; then; that these aircraft were not harly's control if they were still in chicago TRACON's airspace. None of the above described procedures would be necessary if both milwaukee approach control and chicago TRACON were required to resolve all conflictions with other aircraft and/or airspace prior to transferring communications on any aircraft; as is required by the 7110.65. It is as simple as each offering the other a point-out on aircraft which will not exit their airspace above the other's. The facility receiving the point-out says either; 'point-out approved'; or 'radar contact'. Instead; we have an extremely complicated set of procedures set in place.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAU Controller described airspace incursion event listing a recent airspace change involving a number of facilities as a causal factor.

Narrative: The incident in question occurred at the Harly Sector. I was working the Radar Associate position. Aircraft X; a prop off DPA; was shipped to the Harly sector from Chicago TRACON; climbing to 11;000; northbound. The Radar Controller climbed the aircraft to his requested final attitude of FL210. Chicago O'Hare's airspace is up to 15;000 in this area; and the Harly sector does not have control to climb props.This situation occurred; in my opinion; due to the extremely complex layout of airspace and Letters of Agreement between Chicago Center; Milwaukee Approach; and Chicago TRACON. These letters; as well as the change of airspace; went into affect very recently on Sunday; November 15; 2009. Chicago TRACON's airspace underlying the Harly sector is split east and west. On the West side; Chicago TRACON owns up to 13;000 feet. On the East side; Chicago TRACON owns up to 15;000 feet. The airspace is divided to accommodate Chicago TRACON Departures North; which go up the East side; and Milwaukee Approach Departures South; which go down the West side. Additionally; there are climb corridors extending into both Milwaukee Approach and Chicago TRACON's airspace. The purpose of these corridors is to avoid either Chicago TRACON or Milwaukee Approach from having to make point-out's. Milwaukee Approach jets departing South are cleared to 13;000 feet by Milwaukee Approach and handed off to Chicago Center Harly Sector on a 180 heading within a South departure corridor. The Harly sector has control for 20 degree turns on these aircraft; but must keep them in the corridor until they are out of 14;000 feet. The width of this corridor between the FARMM/MALTA and Chicago TRACON airspace; however; is only 3.5 miles. Milwaukee Approach climbs Southbound props to 11;000 feet. The Harly sector has control to climb these aircraft (Milwaukee TRACON owns up to 13;000 feet). However; if Harly does climb these props; then Harly is responsible for separation from any other jets that Milwaukee Approach has released Southbound. Chicago TRACON clears northbound departures to 15;000 feet on a 360 heading on the East side of the corridor. Props which depart in Chicago TRACON's airspace may be handed off to Milwaukee Approach climbing to 11;000 feet. Milwaukee approach will then hand these aircraft off to the Harly sector. If the Harly sector accepts the hand off within the East departure corridor within Milwaukee's airspace; Harly is required to climb these aircraft on initial contact. If the Harly sector climbs these aircraft; however; they are again responsible for separating them from jets departing North from Chicago TRACON. These jets are climbing to 15;000 feet. In our briefings on the airspace and procedures change; emphasis was put on the fact that the Harly sector SHALL climb Northbound props if they are shipped South of the Northern boundary of the East climb corridor. It became unclear; then; that these aircraft were NOT Harly's control if they were still in Chicago TRACON's airspace. None of the above described procedures would be necessary if both Milwaukee Approach Control and Chicago TRACON were required to resolve all conflictions with other aircraft and/or airspace prior to transferring communications on any aircraft; as is required by the 7110.65. It is as simple as each offering the other a point-out on aircraft which will not exit their airspace above the other's. The facility receiving the point-out says either; 'Point-out approved'; or 'Radar contact'. Instead; we have an extremely complicated set of procedures set in place.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.