Commercial Fixed Wing
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 7
Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Human Factors; Procedure
Big Sky Approach often doesn't take handoffs in a timely manner; this was one instance; where the aircraft may have even been within 2.5 miles of their airspace; descending via. Their excuse is that they don't have to take the hand off until he's 8 miles from the airspace; which on a descend via could put the aircraft in with terrain if we're forced to turn them to miss the airspace. This happens all the time - constantly. It's unsafe; it's unprofessional; it's everything wrong with descend via clearances and Big Sky's attitude toward the NAS; toward safety. I have heard of some facilities that have an automatic handoff acceptance point. It may just be an urban legend; but that would fix this set of problems we have; nearly daily; with Big Sky. Descend via clearances are dangerous to the NAS; we had that concern years ago when they were forced on us at BOI.
Salt Lake Center Controller reported a problem with Big Sky Approach not accepting a hand-off in a timely manner.