Publication deficiency places dispatcher and flcs in possible violation of FARS.

Attributes
ACN	200513
Time
Date	199112
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	200512
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

My airline stated smf service in (approximately) apr/91. From that time until dec/91 smf was shown in the operations specifications as an alternate airport. On dec/tue/91 a first officer on a particular flight contacted a fellow dispatcher to inquire about the legalities of dispatching to an alternate airport. I told him we have an exemption authorized by our poi to dispatch on an infrequent basis to an alternate airport. To me this was more than an infrequent basis. I called our supervisor in our airlines flight department to double check if my copy of the operations specifications was correct and after he verified it was, he asked me when we started service. When I told him he said 'I've got to get a hold of supervisor Y!' anyway, it (operations specifications) wasn't but 30 mins later we received a faxed copy of the operations specifications showing smf now approved as a regular airport. Subsequent to that when I asked if the company would self disclose the incident the company supervisor said 'what do you want to do, get us fined?' I said I don't know what I'm going to do.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PUBLICATION DEFICIENCY PLACES DISPATCHER AND FLCS IN POSSIBLE VIOLATION OF FARS.

Narrative: MY AIRLINE STATED SMF SVC IN (APPROX) APR/91. FROM THAT TIME UNTIL DEC/91 SMF WAS SHOWN IN THE OPS SPECS AS AN ALTERNATE ARPT. ON DEC/TUE/91 A FO ON A PARTICULAR FLT CONTACTED A FELLOW DISPATCHER TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE LEGALITIES OF DISPATCHING TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT. I TOLD HIM WE HAVE AN EXEMPTION AUTHORIZED BY OUR POI TO DISPATCH ON AN INFREQUENT BASIS TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT. TO ME THIS WAS MORE THAN AN INFREQUENT BASIS. I CALLED OUR SUPVR IN OUR AIRLINES FLT DEPT TO DOUBLE CHK IF MY COPY OF THE OPS SPECS WAS CORRECT AND AFTER HE VERIFIED IT WAS, HE ASKED ME WHEN WE STARTED SVC. WHEN I TOLD HIM HE SAID 'I'VE GOT TO GET A HOLD OF SUPVR Y!' ANYWAY, IT (OPS SPECS) WASN'T BUT 30 MINS LATER WE RECEIVED A FAXED COPY OF THE OPS SPECS SHOWING SMF NOW APPROVED AS A REGULAR ARPT. SUBSEQUENT TO THAT WHEN I ASKED IF THE COMPANY WOULD SELF DISCLOSE THE INCIDENT THE COMPANY SUPVR SAID 'WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO, GET US FINED?' I SAID I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.