Date: 201506
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZJX.ARTCC, FL
Light: Night
Aircraft: Large Transport
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Descent
Airspace: Class E ZJX
ATC / advisory: Center ZJX
Second aircraft: Small Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turboprop Eng
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Enroute
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Distraction; Confusion; Situational Awareness; Workload
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Contributing factors: Airspace Structure; Weather; Procedure; Human Factors
Primary problem: Weather

Narrative: The airspace was very complex.  It was a 10 out 10 on complexity and the military took all the airspace that was touching the sector all up to FL430.  Also; the Pine South Altitude Reservation (ALTRV) was active from FL190-FL220 and the Palatca MOA's were active SFC-FL230 and the Finns ALTRV was active FL190-FL220 and Sealord was not taking any pointouts through the ALTRV or the adjacent Special Use Airspace (SUA).  Also; there was numerous weather deviations and departures from MCO were needing to fly at least 5-8 east of the normal routing and other departures did the same to avoid the weather.This created more difficulty to get all arrivals down below the ALTRV.  This particular scenario had Aircraft X landing MLB from over CRG and the northwest.  Aircraft X came over at FL320 and Greencove sector could not get him any lower because of northbound traffic at FL310.  Had that traffic not been there we could have got lower and started him down sooner to help with getting under the ALTRV and around Aircraft Y. Aircraft Y needed to stay east of precipitation near CRG.  As soon as Aircraft X passed the northbound traffic at FL310 I descended him to FL280 and that was the lowest I could go because of another deviating aircraft that departed.  So As soon as Aircraft X cleared that traffic if you measure the distance from passing that traffic to where he needed to be under the ALTRV it was 15;000 feet and 40 miles and Aircraft X was doing 8 miles a minute groundspeed. This requires a 3;000 fpm descent and that's without any traffic in the way.  That descent rate is steep and some aircraft are not able to maintain proper safety margins doing it.  Also; aggressive vectoring is not available because of the warning areas active.  So a very precise vector is needed.  After measuring distances during Falcon review Aircraft X could have been vectored a maximum of 5 miles east of his course in order to maintain 6-7 miles separation from Aircraft Y and to maintain 3-4 miles from the SUA.  So as you can see this scenario is very difficult I gave a 10 degree vector to Aircraft X and descended him to FL240 to avoid Aircraft Y who was at FL230 and maintained vertical separation.  I put the hoop on Aircraft Y because the general rule of thumb is to put the halo on the aircraft you are missing.  However since the aircraft were on more of an opposite direction course the hoop needed to be on Aircraft X instead because of the angle.  However; this created a miscalculation for me appeared to be able to maintain the standard separation of 5 miles.  I descended Aircraft X to 15;000 feet and then some time after the conflict alert went off.  It appeared there was more than 5 miles because of the halo placed on Aircraft Y but I went ahead and vectored Aircraft X another 10 degrees left and expedited him through FL220.  Both aircraft were about 4.8 miles and 600 feet after review of falcon with the supervisor. The situation was always in control just very difficult and misleading information; there was no TCA events.  Once Aircraft X was clear of Aircraft Y; I cleared him back to LAMMA and had to expedite him under the ALTRV.  Aircraft X cleared the ALTRV and was shipped to Orlando Approach at the appropriate time.1.  Whenever the South ALTRV is activated by the Military a restriction should be put on MLB landers from the Northwest over CRG to be FL280 or below.  This would facilitate in having enough time to get the airplane lower under the ALTRV and if there is other traffic in the way. 2.  Also; whenever the South ALTRV is activated all MLB arrivals should be put over MILIE intersection into the states sector for sequencing with MCO arrivals would be the best traffic management initiative.3. Turn Aircraft X 20 degrees left instead of only 10 degrees and try to point out the aircraft to Sealord Control near the warning areas.




Synopsis: A Jacksonville Center (ZJX) Controller describes an airborne conflict caused by not being able to vector traffic due to weather and an Altitude Reservation (ALTRV) in close proximity to both aircraft's flight path.