Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Human Factors
I received notification of an event. When reviewing the playback with management none of us could determine the loss of separation when the event occurred. An A380 departed SFO Runway 28 routed to LIN VOR. The A380 was initially climbed to 10;000 and vectored northbound offshore in accordance with noise abatement. The A380 was then turned direct LIN VOR and climbed to 15;000. The B737-800 departed SFO Runway 01 routed over LIN; initially climbing to 10;000. The B737-800 was issued another altitude of 8;000. The B737-800 was vectored to a H350 for in trail spacing behind the A380 and climbed to 9;000. When the A380 left 11;000; the B737-800 was climbed to 1;000. The playback reported 4.8 miles and 800 FT 'wake remnants' of the A380 were speculated to be the cause of the separation alert. Controllers have no tools; nor during busy times should be required to know; when and what altitude the aircraft were all along the route. We have no tools that are used to determine any type of wake remnants; nor do we have the ability to remember the altitudes. I challenge any one to work a busy session and remember the altitudes of all aircraft 10 miles prior and all along the route. We work with real time altitudes and real time position of the aircraft.
NCT Controller was questioned regarding an alledged 'wake remant' separation loss; the Controller claiming no tools are avaialble to controllers to identify these types of occurrences.