Date: 201404
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZDV.ARTCC, CO
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Fighter
Operator: Military
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Refueling
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class A ZDV
ATC / advisory: Center ZDV
Second aircraft: Military
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Traffic Management
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Contributing factors: Procedure; Airspace Structure; Company Policy
Primary problem: Procedure

Narrative: An Altitude Reservation; (ALTRV) flight that was coordinated and reserved through ZDV via ONL CZI HLN as a flight of 5/Fighters and 2/Heavy Aircraft with an ALT change at ONL and CZI. The routes were entered correctly; however the ALT change coding of XXX was not in the flight plan. This creates a safety hazard because within an ALTRV flight; these aircraft are expected to change ALT at these pre-coordinated points and do not have to advise the controllers. The ONL ALT change was pre-coordinated via the CARF coordination by ZDV from 260B280 to 240B260 because our high ALT sector is FL270 and above on that route. The block altitude through ZMP would split our stratum. This altitude change did not occur. Additionally; the Heavies were supposed to both enter ZDV in refuel on the route. Only 1 heavy; Aircraft Y; entered with the flight. Both K35s were supposed to fly until CZI then split. Aircraft Y split early and then Aircraft Z joined at an unplanned; uncoordinated location. The aircraft did not want to descend to the block 240B260 as reserved. Our sector advised the aircraft that they were no longer in the ALTRV as they did not want to follow the ALT guidance. Additionally without the XXX at CZI the ALTRV could have climbed out of our low sector into our high without proper coordination and no verbal advisory. This did not happen as their ALTRV was terminated by ZDV prior to CZI. The pre-coordination called for 5/other type of aircraft yet the flight was 5/specified aircraft. The performance can be drastically different; yet I had to call CARF about this. They should have coordinated this change with us. When we coordinated with the Specialist at CARF that the flights were no longer an ALTRV as required; the Specialist voiced that we cannot terminate an ALTRV. That would be correct if the flights were still in the pre-coordinated corridor. This flight refused it. Unclassified ALTRV flight plans that have a block altitude change must be entered to the destination airport or ALTRV end point. An XXX must be entered into the route of flight immediately after each fix where a block altitude change is to occur to prevent the production of flight progress strips containing erroneous altitude information. The Air Traffic Specialist working the area where the XXX has been entered must change the mission block altitude to what was previously coordinated and remove the XXX so that the correct block altitude will be processed to subsequent facilities.The ALTRVs that fly though ZDV have been consistently wrong; either through incomplete flight plan information entry or contradictory information. Perhaps more training would help.




Synopsis: Controller reports incorrect data related to ALTRV flight plan with wrong altitudes; and type aircraft causes confusion among pilots and controllers.