In circumstances where a high altitude controller requests a lower altitude for an aircraft that will enter Sector 66 but that is currently over an adjacent sector, coordination with the adjacent sector can be considered to have been accomplished by the high altitude controller who is requesting lower.

• A. Always coordinate with adjacent sector regardless
• B. Only when aircraft below 5,000 feet
• C. The described scenario; coordination can be considered accomplished
• D. Never consider accomplished; must coordinate

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is how coordination between sectors is established when an aircraft will cross into another sector. If a controller who is already working with the aircraft requests a descent to a lower altitude while the aircraft is still over the adjacent sector and will enter the next sector, that action effectively communicates the plan to the other sector. The descent clearance signals that the issuing controller is handling the coordination step necessary for the handoff, and the adjacent sector can anticipate the inbound traffic at the requested altitude. In this situation, you don’t need a separate, additional coordination step beyond that clearance because the descent request itself creates the necessary awareness and alignment between sectors.

Choosing “always coordinate” would imply extra steps in every case, which isn’t required when the issuing controller’s action already covers the handoff, and choosing the other options would ignore the practical effect of issuing the descent clearance in this boundary-crossing context.