Military
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 4.1
Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Procedure; Aircraft; Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors
I was working TYI sector during a high volume; weather event session. No D-side. Yorktown sector called me on the land line to coordinate a hand off for Aircraft X. They stated that the aircraft was verified level at FL360 and the pilot said all equipment was operational. It turns out that the flight was a co-related primary target in Class A airspace. This disqualifies the aircraft to operate in RVSM airspace. I did not verify with the pilot when they checked in assuming that the previous controller had taken the correct protocols. Not to mention they had an aircraft 1;000 feet above that I had just fed them.  Apparently this aircraft transitted through 4 or 5 ZDC sectors before it made it to TYI. I was told after the fact by a manager that the aircraft was not eligible for RVSM airspace. The aircraft transited through TYI as if it was RVSM capable. There were no conflicts while I was on position.  A better understanding of why an aircraft is not capable of RVSM is necessary. I was always under assumption that if the aircraft states they are capable; of RVSM than they are.  Clearly this is not the case.
ZDC Controller reported of an aircraft that transited in RVSM airspace; but was not qualified to be in that airspace. Controller reported that there was a loss of separation due to the aircraft not being RVSM equipped. Controller thought someone upstream should have verified if the aircraft was RVSM qualified.