Commercial Fixed Wing
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 26
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Airspace Structure; Company Policy; Manuals
I relieved a Controller from a Hawaii Center En-route position and during the position relief briefing was advised that an aircraft had been cleared direct to a fix which is a fix along the Hawaii Center and ZOA [Oakland Center] boundary entering non-radar oceanic airspace. The controller I was relieving also informed me that QKK radar was out of service and that the aircraft would soon no longer be radar identified and had already been terminated. Soon after the aircraft did indeed drop off of radar approximately 50 miles from the Hawaii Center/ZOA boundary. As discussed in previous reports Hawaii Center as a facility does not believe that aircraft must be established on an RNAV point to point route of flight prior to losing and terminating radar contact. This is contrary to the FAAH 7110.65 which states that aircraft can only be issued an 'impromptu route' when transitioning from one point to point route to another and must be provided RADAR separation until established on the new RNAV route of flight. The prevailing consensus at Hawaii Center is that since there is no traffic; RNAV aircraft can be cleared via direct to a fix into non-radar airspace. This issue must be addressed at Hawaii Center .The procedure at Hawaii Center should be to have RNAV aircraft established on a point to point route of flight prior to terminating or losing radar contact on aircraft IAW the 7110.65. This ensures aircraft navigation and also allows for the required oceanic non-radar to be ensured prior to the Hawaii/ZOA boundary as per the Hawaii SOP.
Hawaii Enroute Oceanic Controller reported their facility policy is misinterpreting the rules regarding aircraft handling when transitioning from a radar to a non radar environment.