Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 1.0
Communication Breakdown; Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Airspace Structure; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Procedure
Aircraft X departed Runway 10 SJU IFR heading 095 degrees climbing to 5;000 feet. Aircraft Z departed Runway 10 SJU IFR heading 095 degrees climbing to 5;000 feet. Aircraft Z was within 1 NM in trail of aircraft X. When I saw that no IFR separation had been provided; I called the Tower on the coordination line and said something to the effect of 'He's IFR; I'm turning him.' I was not specific in the coordination. I turned aircraft Z left heading 010. The Tower came over the shout line to tell me that aircraft Z was VFR. The Tower's information contradicted all the information before me. The radar tag and flight progress strip indicated he was IFR. Meanwhile; aircraft Y departed Runway 8 turning left heading 350 climbing to 5;000 feet. Radar separation did not exist between aircraft Y and aircraft Z; perhaps the Tower provided visual separation until aircraft Y was established on the diverging course. As soon as I saw aircraft Y depart I turned aircraft Z right heading 070. Aircraft Y was being worked by [a different sector].The Local Controller believed aircraft Z was VFR. I don't work in the Tower; and so I cannot provide any recommendations to correct that. The next problem was the communications. I could have/should have been more specific in my coordination; even though what I was doing seemed to be well understood by the Tower. Unfortunately the breakdown in communication continued. The Tower argued with me that aircraft Z was VFR. VFR or IFR was inconsequential at that point; I had turned him to gain IFR spacing between him and the aircraft X in front. The important piece of information that I was missing was that aircraft Y was cleared for takeoff/going to be cleared/rolling on Runway 8. As soon as aircraft Y departed it was an immediate conflict with aircraft Z. Granted I could have stopped departures after the loss of separation between aircraft X and aircraft Z; but I expected the Tower to avoid putting departures in conflict with aircraft Z when I informed them that he was turning to avert the first conflict.
Two aircraft departed the same runway on the same route with one mile separation. The Tower Controller thought the second departure was on a VFR flight plan. The radar departure Controller's information indicated the second aircraft was on an IFR flight plan. The departure Controller turned the second aircraft left to achieve IFR separation. Tower cleared an aircraft for takeoff from an adjacent runway into the path of the aircraft that the departure Controller turned.