Medium Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 7
Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Workload; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Company Policy; Procedure; Human Factors
During a routine arrival rush at DFW; I received numerous aircraft with late transfer of communications. Adding to the complex; high volume scenario; several aircraft were delivered without conforming to the standard letter of agreement between ZFW and D10. These aircraft were leveled at altitudes conflicting with airspace boundaries and in conflict with other traffic; wake turbulence and some were unable to comply with crossing restrictions.Aircraft X was well inside D10 airspace on the STAR without transfer of communications. The inability to communicate with Aircraft X added risk and complexity while combined with an abnormal Emergency situation with a returning aircraft (Aircraft B) from a nonstandard routing.Aircraft Y was assigned a nonstandard altitude (13;000) without coordination. This in addition to the emergency situation and the lack of communication with aircraft already within the sector; created a distraction and risk through the necessity to de-conflict the aircraft with other traffic and airspace.Aircraft Z was delivered so close in trail to the preceding traffic that it was necessary to stop the descent of the heavy jet and reduce their speed. This added workload; while coordinating an emergency and watching for additional obstacles creates a distraction to the safe flow of traffic inbound from multiple directions.Aircraft A checked in with 'descending via; unable to make crossing restriction...' upon initial contact. This operation was not coordinated or approved and added additional workload and distraction from the complex situation.This issue continues to be exacerbated and uncorrected on a daily basis. With the increase in operations into and out of the DFW terminal area; the LOA non-compliance of ZFW when delivering aircraft to D10 as the receiving facility adds risk and complexity to an already high intensity operation. ZFW continues to deliver aircraft without coordinating assigned speeds or altitudes that exceed the agreements between the two facilities. ZFW continues to withhold transfer of communications until aircraft have entered the D10 boundaries while those aircraft are in conflict with other traffic and airspace areas.The D10/ZFW LOA needs to be renegotiated or amended to prevent the uncoordinated delivery of aircraft in a manner which impacts airspace and conflicting traffic. ZFW continues to deliver aircraft via the advertised rate without regard to flow; airspace; compressing/decreasing speeds; conflicting traffic; approach in use; while leaving D10 as the receiving facility to correct and augment the substandard delivery. When questioned about the necessity to transfer radio communications earlier; the ZFW controller responded with 'You just need to take the hand-off...' This response from the en route environment when questioned by D10 controllers is common and well used.As the receiving facility; D10 should be afforded the opportunity to effect a safe and efficient flow when receiving arrivals from the en route areas. The continued expectation that D10 'Work it out' and accept an uncoordinated and nonstandard delivery of aircraft; represents a systemic and pervasive culture by all four arrival sectors at ZFW. This operation remains overlooked by management in both facilities and has become commonplace at the D10/ZFW boundary. Continuing this performance on a repeated daily basis is unsafe and untenable.
D10 TRACON Controller reported numerous aircraft coming from ZFW late and not in agreement with the D10/ZFW Letter of Agreement.