Light Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 18
Distraction; Troubleshooting; Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Procedure; Human Factors
While conducting OJTI (On Job Training) at D61 the trainee and myself have to use regular phone lines to communicate with ZGA apch and ZGA tower (clearance delivery) because the dedicated MEVA line to ZGA (and Freeport) has been out for at least 4 months. The regular phones that we use now have been 'rigged' by AF (Airway Facilities) so that the trainer can listen in from another phone after the trainee is talking to the other facility (yes the trainer has to wait for at least a second or two to get on the line).You are always on the 'phone' talking to clearance or making/taking handoffs and inbounds to ZQA apch. A supervisor from another area that was passing by answered a call on our supervisor's desk (Caribbean) (our supervisor was in the area but not at the desk). It turns out the 'visiting' supervisor took a call directly from a pilot at MYEM looking for clearance. That airspace is owned by ZQA and the pilot has to call ZQA or depart VFR and then call ZQA or Miami Center for clearance. The 'visiting' supervisor transferred the call to the phones at the sector (R61) (used only to deal with ZGA apch and ZFP) without telling us that it was a pilot or anyone other than ZQA/ZFP controllers. We took the call and the request for clearance thinking it was ZGA apch and issued [the pilot] clearance climbing to 120 (ZQA owns sfc-120). After hanging-up I told the trainee that in over 20 years' experience I have seen ZQA do that maybe twice (lifeguard flight; VIP or heavy weather over the airport). I must credit the trainee with bringing to my attention that she did not detect a Bahamian accent from 'the controller'. I instructed the trainee to call ZGA apch and to ascertain and make sure that we had issued the clearance to the proper controller/agency. ZGA apch advised us that they had not called for clearance and after explanations they agreed to protect the airspace and they took all the information pertaining to [the aircraft]. The fact that our dedicated MEVA lines are out are the primary factor we had this problem and it is unacceptable that in the 21st century we (FAA/ZMA) have not solved it. The same scenario with the MEVA lines working would have triggered a question as to why ZQA was calling on regular phone when we have MEVA lines. The 'visiting supervisor' should have handed the phone to our area supervisor and hopefully things would have turned out different.We need to get the MEVA lines fixed or replaced with something else right away. We are using regular long distance phone calls which cost the FAA a lot of money but there seems to be no progress. Anyone can call these phones at sector 61 and create confusion to the point that we issue control instructions to the wrong controllers/facility. Supervisors that are not rated or working and are passing by or visiting should refrain from taking actions and should let the active supervisor or CIC (Controller in Charge) take the proper actions.
ZMA controller reported a confusing communications issue which needed to be corrected. Due to equipment being out of service and having to use commercial landlines for coordination; a visiting supervisor picked up a phone call and gave it to the controllers. The controllers thought they were talking to another ATC facility and issued instructions; when they were actually talking to the pilot. Controllers figured something was wrong and called the other ATC facility to check on the release. The other ATC facility sterilized the airspace and the aircraft became airborne. Controller wants the land lines fixed so this will not happen again.