Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 13
Situational Awareness; Distraction; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure
I was on R21 which sits next to R20. There was one aircraft in ZFW42's airspace climbing out of approximately FL340 for FL390. ZFW had an opposite direction head on targets merging aircraft that was descending out of approximately FL385 about 30 miles away. I assumed that ZFW was providing separation. I made several comments to the R20 controller that certainly they were not really trying to swap these two aircraft's altitudes. I said 'certainly they have them stopped off vertically'. R20 said; 'no they are really doing that.' I again said I thought they must have them stopped and R20 said that he was talking to the aircraft climbing to FL390. I asked how they were separated and he responded that he had expedited his aircraft and that's all he could do. The aircraft were approximately 15 miles and still on the wrong side of each other vertically. I asked why no one was turning? No traffic was called by the R20 controller and no attempt at coordination with ZFW was made. No action was taken besides expediting a high altitude climb in hot weather conditions. Vertical separation was achieved just outside 5 miles with no positive control of the situation or real attempts to separate these two head on aircraft. Both the ZFW and R20 controllers should have the situation reviewed with them and given training on how to provide positive separation especially in head on situations.
ZME ARTCC Controller reports of a situation that was observed and he started to question what was going on. One aircraft was being worked by ZFW and the other by another sector in his Center. Both controllers did not communicate as to what the other was doing. One Controller talking to one of the aircraft had his aircraft expedite its climb but made no attempt to turn away from the other aircraft. Positive control was not maintained but separation was not lost.