Fighting Falcon F16
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 23.5
Workload; Training / Qualification; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance
Human Factors; Procedure
I was administering OJTI at D23/33.  Aircraft X was performing a Functional Check Flight (FCF).  This has an unrestricted climb off of FSD to FL290B310 and requires coordination with Sectors 37; 29; 18 and 19 with the aircraft eventually ending up in Sector 19.  This is all coordinated prior to departure and the aircraft will call us off the ground.  It climbs at a rate that puts it out of our sector in less than a minute.  Prior to getting in the sector for this FCF; my trainee and I reviewed the LOA covering these flights and we discussed the coordination that we would do.  When FSD Approach (APCH) called for the release; my trainee contacted each effected sector (18 and 19 were combined).  The controller at 18/19 approved climbing to FL290B310.  About 5 minutes later the 19 controller called asking where the FCF was and what he was doing and Plan View Display (PVD) us a datablock for Aircraft Y.  At this time the FCF was airborne but on a bad beacon code so did not track up.  There was also pair of tankers and an RC135 requesting clearance into an AR track which led to frequency congestion at this time.  The FCF was still tracking southwest bound away from the Aircraft Y and at an altitude that would put them above Aircraft Y.  The FCF then joined the arc turning north.  Sector 19 called again; asking what LOBO was doing and PVD the datablock for Aircraft Z.  Aircraft X was now in Sector 19's airspace and they had not taken the handoff so that communication could be transferred.  Aircraft X was requesting a climb to FL390B410 as stated in the LOA.  By this time; Sector 19 had turned and was climbing the Aircraft Z.  If Aircraft X had been given the climb it would have been clear of the traffic within seconds.  To avoid a loss of separation; the R33 controller turned Aircraft X to a 040 heading; which I told the R19 controller.  They turned the Aircraft Z to a south heading.  Once that was done communication was transferred to Sector 19.It was obvious that the R19 controller had no idea what this FCF entailed.  They approved an action in their airspace without knowing what it was.  When told by the military desk that these flights will occur; the controller working them should review the LOA so that they know what is going on; can move their traffic if necessary and not be surprised.  They could also say unable as the aircraft said they would take a delay on the ground versus being maneuvered off of their preplanned route.
Aircraft X was on a functional flight check; which required an unrestricted climb off FSD to FL300.  The D23 trainee coordinated the unrestricted climb with all sectors as required. Aircraft X departed on a bad squawk code; and the Full Data Block (FDB) did not correlate to Aircraft X.  I issued the correct code the Aircraft X and handed off the FDB to sector 29.  I realize fairly quickly that I was handing off Aircraft X to the wrong sector and took the hand-off back and started the hand-off to sector 19. Sector 19 was not taking the hand-off when Aircraft X requested a climb to a block altitude. Aircraft Z was at FL310 and the conflict alert started with Aircraft X at FL300 (non-RVSM).  I did not see a turn of Aircraft X and advised the D23 I was going to turn Aircraft X to a 040 heading for separation. Aircraft Z was issued a turn and FL330 was entered into the FDB. Aircraft X balked at the heading and stated that he could be established in the block in 90 seconds. Communications between myself and the D23 trainee and trainer was delayed and somewhat confused. The result was that the R19 controller and myself both saw the situation and the fastest; safest solution.  We implemented the solution. I would recommend that sectors should be split before functional flight checks begin.  Not only in the low altitude stratum; but in high altitude stratums as well.
Minneapolis Center (ZMP) Controllers report of an airspace violation and a loss of separation when a military jet is cleared into airspace that another Controller owned. The other Controller had traffic in the way leading to the loss of separation.