Large Transport
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 2.3
Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Troubleshooting
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Human Factors; Procedure
Some time ago aircraft departing the DC Metro area were given new airways for routing; two of them being Q80 & Q68.  These routes replaced the old routes that went over LDN and HVQ [VORs].  While many airlines have started to file the new Q routes; several are still filing the old jet routes and thus receiving corrected flight route clearances on the ground before departure. Most of the time this is not an issues for us at ZDC ARTCC; but recently there have been several occasions of aircraft flying the old jet route when the User Request Evaluation Tool (URET) shows them on the new Q route.  Today I took a hand-off on Aircraft X; with a URET route Q68.  The aircraft was climbing to FL340. After taking the hand-off; sector XX called and asked if I wanted Aircraft X stopped at a lower altitude; in reference to Aircraft Y on J6 airway at FL340. I replied in the negative; stating the aircraft routes were separated.  Aircraft X checked-on climbing to FL340 and I issued further climb to FL350; got the read back and went on to climb other traffic crossing on the other side of the sector.  Scanning back to Aircraft X; I noted his climb was out of FL320 but it didn't appear as if he had made the turn for Q68.  I called Aircraft Y to give a direct HVQ VOR clearance but received no reply.  Seeing that Aircraft X still had not turned for Q68; I then called for him to turn 20 degrees left. Because of Aircraft X's location near the LDN VOR; an area of known frequency issues; it took three calls before Aircraft X replied to the turn; taking him clear of the traffic before a loss of separation occurred.  When questioned about his clearance; Aircraft X replied he had received his clearance via PDC at [the departure] airport; and read me his clearance; which did not reflect the Q68 routing we were showing in URET.  I cleared Aircraft X to HVQ VOR where the two routes converged and advised the supervisor on duty of the discrepancy.  The supervisor contacted [the departure airport] Tower; who informed him the correct Q68 route had been sent to Aircraft X but that they had been having lots of questions from Aircraft X pilots over the way the revision was appearing on the PDC displays in the cockpit; and had received several calls from ZDC ARTCC lately over this very same thing.It is imperative that these aircraft end up on the right routes; since the incorrect route easily results in a loss of separation over the COLNS intersection. PCT TRACON will not be able to see any difference in the old jet route and the new Q route; so they will not be any help in preventing this.  Overall the best option would be to ensure that Aircraft X's Dispatch is filing the aircraft on the new Q routes in the first place; instead of having to rely on [the depature airport] Tower; our computers; and their pilots to catch and correct the mistake each and every time.  It may also be wise to have Aircraft X's company review the correct procedures for identifying PDC updates/changes with their pilots.In no way is Airline X the only one to have this problem; others have been caught doing this as well; but by far Airline X out of an area DC Metro airport has been the worst.  It should be reiterated to all of these airlines that the new Q routes are in effect and should now be the preferred routings filed by their dispatch offices.
ZDC Controller describes a situation where an old route has been changed and adapted into the computer. Many aircraft receive the old routing instead of the new route; causing route problems when airborne.