EMB ERJ 190/195 ER/LR
Air Traffic Control Developmental
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Human Factors
I was training on East RADAR and had a departure; Air Carrier X coming off Runway 22. His departure point was southeast. I left him on runway heading to top some traffic and climbed him to 7;000 FT. Once he was approximately 5 miles south of the airport; I turned him left on course. I was cognizant of the fact that a nearby MOA was active at or above 7;000 FT; but I projected his track to remain at least 3 miles north of the airspace. I focused my attention elsewhere on other aircraft and the surrounding weather; and by the time my scan came back to Air Carrier X; I noticed his track was getting closer to the MOA and the aircraft was not on my anticipated track. I gave him a turn twenty degrees left; but by this point his speed had increased and he was sliding into the turn; and thus; closer to the MOA. I gave the aircraft a 270 heading (I meant to give him a 090 heading which the pilot questioned; and eventually I correctly assigned the 090 heading) heading but by the time he was established on the heading; he appeared to be quite close to the MOA; perhaps closer than the required 3 miles. The MOA controlling agency; called inquiring as to whether the aircraft was being turned away from the MOA. This incident taught me the value of looking at an aircraft's airspeed and planning for turns. An aircraft with a 290 knot ground speed does not turn on a dime. I should not create situations that I have to 'watch'; i.e.; I should give an aircraft a larger turn; not 'finesse' it around the MOA; especially when it is traveling at a faster speed. My overall lack of experience also contributed to this. Also; I think the transposition of headings (when I meant to give a 090 and mistakenly gave him a 270) also contributed to some confusion between me and the pilot; although I never actually observed the aircraft begin a turn to 270; and I corrected myself before he turned.
TRACON developmental described a probable MOA airspace incursion when failing to anticipate the turn radius of an IFR departure that was increasing speed rapidly.