No Aircraft
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 22.8
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance
Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Manuals; Procedure
A continuous schedule for a Warning Area running from a Monday XA00Z until Friday at XK59Z was accepted in SAMS (Special Use Airspace Management System) by me.When I first received the schedule request; I didn't initially recognize the end date. It is common for this area to be scheduled on a daily basis from XA00Z-XK59Z; not a continuous basis. I handwrote the schedule on our ZHU form as if it were ending like a regular daily schedule. Then; I realized my mistake. My intention then was to call the scheduler to confirm whether they wanted a daily schedule for the week or one continuous schedule before correcting my entry on the form. (A common error by schedulers is to forget to check the 'Daily' checkbox when entering a schedule request). At this point; I am not positive what happened. I think I was relieved for a break. I recall telling my relief that I suspected the schedule was meant to be daily and that the scheduler needed to be called for confirmation before moving forward with correcting our paperwork. The only problem is that I don't know if it was for this schedule or another; and I also don't remember who my relief was. In any event the continuous schedule was accepted by me in SAMS - although I don't remember doing so. So; the error was that our handwritten schedule was never corrected.Fast forward to several days later; and I am validating Special Use Airspace schedules for the next day by comparing SAMS approved schedules with our hand-written copy of the same schedules. I see the continuous schedule for the Warning Area in SAMS but no entry on our form. I then look at the forms for three days and only my original entry on the first day (still in error) exists. This means that starting on Monday at XL00Z; no one at ZHU was showing an approved schedule for the Warning Area until I discovered the omission and submitted a schedule and coordinated with the two affected ARTCC areas.Because we manually transfer schedule data twice (from SAMS to paper and then typed into NTML) the potential for human error is a given. We have a comprehensive set of checks in place in order to ensure our accuracy. The following is our basic procedure. Each number is an opportunity for a MAC to discover any existing error:1. A schedule is received and is reviewed by a Military Automation Coordinator (MAC). It could be received many weeks before up to the day before. We confirm the request complies with LOA/LOPs; we ensure separation from any prior approved ALTRVs; etc. If everything is okay; we approve the request and handwrite the schedule on the particular day's form (or multiple days as the case may be). 2. The night before; the MAC validates our handwritten forms for the next day by comparing it to the list of approved schedules in SAMS. After this validation is complete; the MAC then types the schedules into the NTML for coordination to the relevant specialties. These entries are also validated.3. The morning of the affected day; the MAC again validates the same set of forms by comparing it against SAMS. And lastly; the NTML entries are also validated.In the case of my error; we had no less than seven opportunities to catch the mistake before I saw it on the evening of the Friday. The impact in this instance was; I believe; minimal. But only because this specific SUA is used on a real-time basis and per LOA; both specialties verbally release airspace to the user before activation. The systemic impact is more of a concern. Had this been an area which operates when scheduled; we likely would have had numerous violations.1. Communicate this error with all TMCs and STMCs to heighten awareness of the need to carefully review data for accuracy.2. Develop a method less dependent on manual methods of control - without losing the checks and balances that the form does provide (cautionary notes of LOA restrictions; SUA conflictions).
A Traffic management Coordinator at ZHU inadvertently approved the release of Warning Areas to the military controlling agency for a seven day period but meant to release it for the present day only. The Controller realized his error a few days later when reviewing the appropriate forms for the release. It is possible that the military agency could have been performing operations in the Special Use Airspace at the same time as the ARTCC was using the airspace for their routine traffic.