Widebody; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 8
Human-Machine Interface; Confusion; Troubleshooting
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Procedure
I was off the floor and took the desk. I went up to the controller on sector 11R and noticed he had 4 aircraft showing two separate conflicts. This is the first conflicting pair that I investigated. There were two aircraft. Aircraft X and Aircraft Y. One was at FL320 and one was at FL330; I don't remember which one was at FL320. The aircraft were 27 NM apart. Both aircraft were in the SYA radar volume and the data blocks auto acquired but neither aircraft was radar identified. The controller climbed the aircraft at FL320 to FL330 to using radar to establish 20 ATD between them. 20 ATD was misapplied. The controller didn't ask either aircraft the distance from the next waypoint to establish 20 miles between them.The aircraft were Mach and remained 27NM apart after they left SYA radar volume and into nonradar airspace for the next hour until they got into the SPY radar volume and radar identified.As recommended in my previous report I would like a briefing item or clarification from airspace the proper way to set up 20 ATD in ATOP. Can you use radar to establish 20 NM between aircraft or do you need to ask the DME or distance to the next fix/waypoint.
ZAN Supervisor reported of a situation where 20 ATD (Along Track Distance) separation was improperly applied to two aircraft at the same altitude. Controller requested clarification on the proper way to set up ATD separation.