B747-400
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure; Human Factors
Approach Control (A11) called my Sector and APREQ'd a B747 on a heading of 300; which I approved. The R-Side took the hand off on the B747 who appeared to be on a heading of 325. We were waiting to talk to the aircraft that was at the Center/Approach Control boundary. I called Approach and asked the Controller to verify the heading they assigned the B747 was 300. The Controller said it was and asked why. I responded that the B747 appeared to be on more of a 325 heading and was pointed straight at a nearby airport's airspace as well as inbound traffic. After talking with the Approach Controller; the B747 called my Sector checking in on a 320 heading. The R-Side verified with the B747 that Approach assigned a 320 heading. The aircraft responded that was their last assigned heading. Controllers should be more diligent about assigning aircraft the properly coordinated headings/altitudes/routes.
I was working the North RADAR position (combined with Northeast) with a hand off position opened next to me. The fighters based at the Air Force Base were returning on the arrivals from the west. Because of our LOA with Center; when the arrival is in effect; turbojets have to be stopped at 110. There were multiple fighters coming in that would make the LOA altitude unsafe so North Handoff coordinated a heading with Center with a climb to FL200. I was working fairly complex traffic so I did not hear the heading coordinated; and North Handoff did not hear the heading I assigned. As Center took the hand off; and I had cleared all potential conflicts; I shipped the B747 on heading 320. At the time both positions were doing relief briefings and in the confusion I was unaware that the 320 heading had not been coordinated. The relieving controller was not aware of the heading at all; and hand-off was not aware that the aircraft was on a different heading than coordinated. The hand off controller at the time was a low time newly certified controller on the position; and I was receiving a certification check ride. In the future; for low time controllers and trainees receiving skill checks and certification check rides; a seasoned controller should be working the hand-off position so as to alleviate confusion.
Enroute and TRACON Controllers described a failed coordination event during OJT at the terminal; the reporters noting more care should be taken with regard to controller experienced level during skill checks and OJT time periods.