Commercial Fixed Wing
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Other / Unknown; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert
Procedure; Human Factors; Airspace Structure
Brownwood MOA was active FL500 and below; which limits options for vectoring aircraft for sequence into DFW. I had 4-5 jets for the JEN9 arrival; all tied for sequence and other traffic; contributing to moderate-heavy workload; with no D-Side. Several flights of 1-4 aircraft each were flying VFR along the paths; coinciding with paths of previously shortcut and sequenced DFW inbound sequence. The line of jets; descending and F16s climbing; was the same and I was not successful in getting all the transmissions across to all of the merging aircraft before a TCAS alert of a Commercial Jet and a flight of 4/F16s; of which I was not talking to and did not check on my frequency until 20 miles into my airspace and after the event. The Commercial Jet climbed back up and was unable to comply with D10's LOA restrictions for the STAR to cross ISABL at 11;000 FT. Contributing factors include; VFR's requesting flight following; of which the sector was to busy and complex to provide; so I did not provide for all the of VFR requests. I had no D-Side and was unable to find time to ask for one; while the busiest traffic was present. NFW departures to BWD MOA consistently fly through JEN9's descent path. The supervisor was whispering in my ear to make sure I remembered to call the next traffic; as I was waiting for a read back and when that was the next transmission already planned to go out. By the time I got attention back to the scope the Commercial Jet was calling and asking if I had traffic for him; which is when I finally called it 3 miles out; opposite direction; merging. He responded that he was reacting to a TCAS climb. I told him when able try his best to comply with restrictions of which he said he would be unable. This NFW/BROWNWOOD departure traffic and DFW inbound jet traffic TCAS events are common. Therefore; it is unsafe. While the NFW fighter aircraft are VFR; for safety a procedure should be created. My recommendations include: Fighter jets departing over MQP direct Brownwood MOA or depart towards GEENI Intersection direct BWD to peel their routes away from the DFW inbound traffic. Another possibility is to unable Hornet and Tomcat East for more vectoring room. Another possibility is to have D10 issue a 'maintain VFR at or below 10;000 FT' clearance to let us allow higher VFR altitude; depending on EDNAS traffic and workload; often times when the fighters come to frequency; they are already above 10;000 and in conflict paths with DFW inbound jets. I should have asked for a D-Side. I didn't have time to call D10 but a D-Side could have helped me; by calling D10 to suggest a climb stop or suggest to work further west and also to ask them to switch the fighter to my frequency; since I was not yet talking to him.
[We were] descending via the Glen Rose arrival; direct ISABL to cross it at 11;000. Passing 18;000 FT received a TCAS traffic advisory. Two targets at about 7 and 10 miles climbing toward us. I queried ATC about traffic and the Controller stated; 'Yes; two F-16's at your 11 to 12 o'clock climbing VFR.' Just as he/she finished; the TCAS RA commanded a 1;000 FPM climb. I advised ATC we were climbing in response to a TCAS alert. We immediately complied and visually acquired the F-16's which passed approximately 500 FT below us. We climbed from 17;000 back to 18;000 during the RA when we received the 'clear of conflict.' Advised ATC we were resuming descent and would be unable to comply with crossing restriction at ISABL. I called ATC and spoke with two supervisors who were already aware of the incident; had listened to the tapes; and who were both extremely apologetic for the loss of separation. I did advise one supervisor this could have turned out very badly had we been dispatched with the TCAS inoperative which I believe is something the FAA should review. Dispatching an aircraft without TCAS is rolling the dice with disaster. I forgot to ask and would really appreciate an answer as to why were the F-16's allowed to climb VFR right into the midst of an arrival corridor? Make TCAS a mandatory item per the aircraft MEL. Don't allow military aircraft to climb VFR in controlled airspace.
ZFW Controller described a TCAS conflict event between a DFW Air Carrier arrival and a flight of 4 VFR military jets operating near the Brownwood MOA; the reporter suggesting changes to the airspace and operational procedures.