Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 15
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Weather; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Airspace Structure; Procedure
I was assigned D62.  The Controller that I relieved was extremely busy.  The sector was RED (approximately 30 aircraft).  There was numerous TMI's in place and the normal high weekend volume.  The strip processing was just unmanageable.  Since ZMA turned on ERAM the strip printing; in most ocean sectors; has doubled or tripled in the amount of strips that all personnel are required to sort through and eliminate unnecessary strips.  This process created a real problem for the safe operation of the sector.My time was spent going through strips and answering that line with MDSD to take estimates.  There were so many strips and landline calls that there were periods where I could not monitor the frequencies for 5 minutes of more.  The R62 Controller was basically left to do his own manual radar handoffs; coordinate any amendments; and work the traffic in a RED sector.  The sector could not be split.  Later I had to ask for an A-side to pull strips.This issue; along with other Ocean Area issues; was brought up to the facility ERAM team over 3 years ago.  Also an email was sent to the ATM within the last two weeks describing the problem and asking why there is a problem.  If ERAM was to have mirrored NAS than our mirror is broken.  We are getting more strips than we ever need.  Over certain fixes we sometimes get anywhere from 8 to 20 strips on the same aircraft.  ERAM needs to be fixed before we have a serious situation.  Fix ERAM.
I was assigned tracker position at Sector 60.  We had 15 miles in trail to Miami; weather deviations; and the sector was red due to volume.  When I first came to the sector; the Controller just wanted an extra set of eyes and so I did not take any control functions and let him work.  I watched for traffic and assisted with some coordination.  The Controller had assigned speeds to several aircraft proceeding to Miami in attempt to get the 15 miles in trail.  As a group of aircraft were getting closer to the Sector 40 boundary; the Controller attempted to issue headings to fan out the aircraft and get the 15 miles in trail necessary. At this point the aircraft were unable to fly the assigned headings and were all proceeding through the same break in the weather. The previous aircraft had been able to proceed on the same route with minor deviations so this development was unexpected.  This set of aircraft was approaching the boundary without the necessary spacing as the aircraft were unable to fly the assigned headings for weather. The controller assigned northerly headings to the aircraft as the broke through the line of weather; but the aircraft were approaching the boundary to Sector 40.  The controller then attempted to clear two aircraft over ZFP to relieve some volume; but both aircraft said if they flew to ZFP they would be minimum fuel.  These two aircraft were Aircraft X and Aircraft Y.  The Controller cleared those two aircraft back to FLIPR and we were going to take other aircraft over ZFP.  Aircraft X never was handed off to Sector 40 and communications were never transferred.  They had received a point out of all the aircraft on their boundary that were flying north towards ZFP.  Additionally Sector 40 shut down at this point due to saturation and was unable to accept any more aircraft.  All aircraft had to be routed north through Sector 59. I would recommend set procedures for tracking.  I feel it would have helped if the Controller was just talking to aircraft while the tracker is handling hand offs and coordination instead of just being an extra set of eyes.  I would also recommend flow on aircraft in similar situations to be over ZFP or MTH to alleviate some of the workload to get all the in trail at Sector 60.  It was not feasible to get 15 miles in trail when 6 aircraft were within 40 miles; and weather would not allow the aircraft to accept turns for spacing.  If flow would have been established earlier it would have taken at least 3 or 4 aircraft out of the equation and the situation would have been much less complex.
Multiple reports from ZMA that discuss an overabundance of aircraft; weather; and not enough airspace.  ERAM Computer continually sends out updated information that burdens one Controller while they should have been helping the Radar Controller with traffic.  Reporters describe conflicts and airspace violations within the multiple reports.