Gulfstream V / G500 / G550
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 1
Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Chart Or Publication; Procedure; Human Factors
Aircraft X was a Seattle departure. S46 departure controller issued 'direct ARRIE' which is on his route; and a very common fix for direct. The pilot (non-native English speaking) read back ARRIE; and even pronounced 'ARRIE' when asked; but on further questioning had spelled it 'ARRUE' which was also on his flight plan. This put him in direct conflict with the MARNR and JAWBN arrivals. I gave him a heading of 250 while we figured out what was going on. At that time; the departure controller called to tell me it didn't look like Aircraft X was going to ARRIE; and I informed him that I'd already turned him. Both ARRIE and ARRUE are on J523. I don't know if aircraft have QWERTY keyboards; but for similar fixes to have only one letter different that are adjacent to each other on the keyboard may be a contributing factor. Rename either the ARRIE or ARRUE fix to something that is not similar to another fix on the airway.
ZSE Controller reported of an aircraft that went to an incorrect fix causing conflict with arrivals. The fix names were almost identical and off by one letter.