BAe 125 Series 800
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 24
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Human Factors; Procedure
[ARTCC sector] continues to hand us two or more aircraft on conflicting courses at the same altitude. This has been going on for over 20 years! Tonight they handed me two aircraft (Aircraft X and Aircraft Y) at flight level 410 that were going to lose separation at approximately 30 miles inside my airspace. Aircraft Y was behind and south and 30 knots faster than Aircraft X that was converging from the north. I called [ARTCC Sector] a couple time to get him to turn Aircraft Y. He didn't answer at first. Finally after establishing communications with [ARTCC sector] I instructed him to turn Aircraft Y 30 degrees to the left to go behind Aircraft X. The aircraft passed 15 miles inside my airspace 11 miles behind. We would have definitely lost separation if I had not instructed the [ARTCC sector] controller to turn the second aircraft. It very well might have been a near miss! Aircraft Y thankfully lost about 30 knots in his airspeed as he turned north; into the wind. The wind was from the north at 60 knots. If not for the wind the aircraft would have needed an even more drastic turn to achieve separation! As I looked at the [ARTCC sector] from my radar scope it appeared that these were the Only 2 aircraft in his airspace!ARTCC management needs to take immediate action to fix a safety problem that has been going on for over 20 years!
Controller was being handed off two aircraft on converging headings at the same altitude. In the controller's opinion it was an imminent situation. The controller called the adjacent sector and instructed them to issue a heading to one of the aircraft to ensure lateral separation in the receiving controller's airspace. The reporter states this is a common situation between these two sectors.