What Guy?

I was working the Peck sector, our high altitude sector that handles spacing to O'Hare, and Toronto, and various overflights. Anyway, I'm cutting a guy short on his route by giving him direct Pullman (cuts about two miles off, which doesn't sound like much, but it makes a world of difference when you're spacing). He's at flight level three-five-zero, and I'm descending the guy to his north to 310 because I'm making him number two, and the lower a plane is in the sky, the slower you can get him going.

Thicker air, and all that.

The next guy for O'Hare I start down, and asign him a speed because I've got my ten miles between him and the one in front, and I don't want to lose it.

"Center, who's the traffic at my twelve o'clock and ten miles, looks to be at the same altitude?"

What? I take a look and I don't see any target at that location. I select the "All Primary's" button which shows, more or less, a raw radar return on aircraft that don't have transponders (and ocassionally semi trucks, on the highway too).

Yup, there's an X (primary target symbol) in front of him, no other data.

"United three-twenty, I show a target at that location, I don't know who he is."

I glance at my D-side, and they jump on the line to see if either of the previous sectors lost an aircraft. I motion for the supervisor.

"Looks like a Speed Bird to us, and I think we're gaining on him."

"Roger. United three-twenty, descend and maintain flight level three-one-zero, speed is your discretion. Advise when you are clear of traffic."

"Descending to flight level three-one-zero, we'll advise."

My D-side leans over and says "Lukan says that's Speed Bird forty-five. I'm getting the flight plan into the computer. He's staying at thirty-five."

Good to know.

Now how did the aircraft make it into my airspace without a handoff? Simple, Lukan was extremely busy, dropped the ball on passing the flight plan, then missed the pass when the guy got near my airspace.

These things happen. Not often, but part of our job is to be prepared for anything, and I do mean anything to happen.