Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 8
Workload; Troubleshooting; Time Pressure; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Procedure; Airspace Structure; Human Factors
I was asked to work the Radar Assist (RA)-Position at Brewton to assist the Radar Controller since there was a lot of convective weather in the sector as well as active military airspace over the panhandle coastline of Florida.  When I plugged in; Eglin restricted areas 2914; 2915 were active above the Eglin approach control up to FL250.  W-151 and W-155 warning areas were active to FL500 and FL320 respectively.  I immediately made a request to the area supervisor to request the Breeding Release Area through the Jacksonville Center (ZJX) Mission Controller in Traffic Management Unit (TMU).  A few minutes later; the area supervisor advised myself and the radar controller at Brewton that the W-151 Breeding Release Area was released to Brewton sector At or Above FL260; but W-155 Breeding Release area was still on request. However; the portion of W-151 below the Breeding Release Area was updated on the Radar display at Brewton to display altitudes active 000 to FL260; indicating that the W-151 airspace was active up to FL260 and the Breeding Release Area was released to us FL270 and above.  On the other hand; the area status information board displayed what the area supervisor had told us; the Breeding Release Area above W-151 was released to us At or Above FL260.  I asked the supervisor to clarify with the ZJX Missions controller to verify the altitude inputs on their En route Atomization Modernization (ERAM) Air Traffic Specialist Workstation (ATSW) so our radar display would show our Special Use Airspace (SUA) altitudes correctly.  The area supervisor then returned to the Brewton Sector to inform us now the Breeding Release Area above W-155 had been released to Brewton Sector At or Above FL260.  Again; the SIA displays were updated on the radar scope from the Mission controller's entries in the ATSW; but again the altitude limits were displayed incorrectly as the W-155 under the Breeding Release Area was active 000 to FL260 and the Breeding Release Area was active FL270 and above.  Once more I asked the Area Supervisor to clarify with the Mission controller as to what were the correct altitudes.  Meanwhile; the Eglin Approach Mission Controller called me on the voice line to ask if we were displaying the Florida Panhandle Coastline 'closed.'  I informed the Eglin Approach controller we were not; but we were showing R2914 and R2915 active up to FL250.  The Eglin Approach controller told me that the R2914 should have changed to be active up to FL400 and R2915 should have changed to be active up to FL350.  I asked the Eglin controller if a carrier jet routed towards the restricted airspace and about 4 minutes flying time from entering the airspace could transition through it with Eglin Approach's approval.  The approach controller could not give me an affirmative answer and told me to stand by.  I immediately notified the radar controller and area supervisor that the restricted airspace above Eglin Approach was active higher than we had been briefed and displayed on our radar display and on the area information board.  I also informed the area supervisor that we had an aircraft about to enter the airspace with no prior approval or coordination.  The Brewton Radar controller initiated a vector to the carrier flight to the south of the restricted airspace to keep the flight within the Breeding Release Area airspace.  On the other side of the restricted airspace; the radar controller had already cleared an aircraft landing Pensacola (PNS) to FL260 along the boundary of the Breeding area and overtop the R2915 airspace.  The radar controller was under the impression that the aircraft was within the Breeding Release Area and above the restricted airspace; but after the confusion we were unsure if we had lost separation with the SUA airspace at this point.   I again asked the supervisor to get clarification of the status off all the active military airspace within the Brewton sector.  He returned to inform us that the restricted airspace would be staying active At or Below FL250 and that the Breeding Release Areas were released to Brewton At or Above FL260 and that he requested the mission controller to update the Systems Information Area (SIA) altitude limit entries in the ATWS.  The altitude limits displayed on the radar for Brewton sector now displayed W151 and W155 underneath the Breeding Release Areas active 000 to FL259.  This still did not indicate that the Breeding Release Area was released to Brewton At or Above FL260 since we are required to have 1;000 foot separation above SUAs.  I called the Mission position in TMU to inquire the information and the controller told me [they were] was tired of hearing about the issue and that she would just change the altitude limits to 000 to FL250 to make us happy since she didn't have time to argue over the issue before a telcon was starting.  The entire scenario was one of mass confusion; unnecessary movement of aircraft and potential loss of separation.  Myself and the radar controller were distracted from the operational environment due to lack of adequate coordination; and inability for the missions controller to accurately display SUA altitude limits in the ATWS.  The Area Supervisor indicated that there was a 'gift giving ceremony or party' occurring in the TMU area and it seemed as though they were distracted from their jobs.  There certainly seemed to be a complete lack of understanding as to what airspace was active and to what altitudes.  Brewton sector was complex enough at the time with weather; this additional distraction was not needed.Remove external distractions from areas.  Ensure the SUA data that is communicated to the areas is accurately entered into ATWS entries.  Ensure TMU mission controllers understand the required LOAs; SOPs; and other publications specifying required separation standards for military operations and air traffic.
A Jacksonville Center (ZJX) radar associate Controller reports of confusion around restricted areas being hot or not and how high the altitudes were if they are hot or not. The Controller tried many times to get the correct answer from the Front Line Manager (FLM) and Traffic Management Coordinators (TMC). The Controller reports of; 'The entire scenario was one of mass confusion; unnecessary movement of aircraft and potential loss of separation.'