Narrative:

I was working as the radar controller and this is the third such occurrence in the past 3-6 months. A cga X aircraft was en route to teb, and the flight plan was jhw J70 avp stw teb. Preferred routing dictates the AVP3 STAR, so I cleared the aircraft 'after avp, fly AVP3 arrival to teb.' the pilot responded, 'roger, cleared as filed.' I again reviewed the flight plan which was avp stw teb. I informed the pilot that I did not show the STAR in his flight plan. The pilot then told me that he filed avp stw teb, and added the AVP3 STAR in the remarks section of the flight plan. Since he was 'cleared as filed' originally, he thought that he was cleared to fly the STAR since it was part of the flight plan. I cannot be certain who is at fault. Our flight plans have a remarks section in field 11, and the STAR was not shown on my copy of the flight plan. It could be many people from FSS to company dispatchers to air crew and yes, even controllers, but it should be addressed. I think flight plan information should not be permitted in remarks. I don't think that is what remarks was created for. It can only lead to confusion. In this case, the request and the cleared route were so similar that nothing probably would have happened. But if we continue to misuse the system, the system will catch up to us sooner or later.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR QUESTIONS THE FORMAT USED BY PLTS IN FILING AN IFR FLT PLAN, AND INFO THAT IS INCLUDED ON THE FLT PROGRESS STRIP.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING AS THE RADAR CTLR AND THIS IS THE THIRD SUCH OCCURRENCE IN THE PAST 3-6 MONTHS. A CGA X ACFT WAS ENRTE TO TEB, AND THE FLT PLAN WAS JHW J70 AVP STW TEB. PREFERRED ROUTING DICTATES THE AVP3 STAR, SO I CLRED THE ACFT 'AFTER AVP, FLY AVP3 ARR TO TEB.' THE PLT RESPONDED, 'ROGER, CLRED AS FILED.' I AGAIN REVIEWED THE FLT PLAN WHICH WAS AVP STW TEB. I INFORMED THE PLT THAT I DID NOT SHOW THE STAR IN HIS FLT PLAN. THE PLT THEN TOLD ME THAT HE FILED AVP STW TEB, AND ADDED THE AVP3 STAR IN THE REMARKS SECTION OF THE FLT PLAN. SINCE HE WAS 'CLRED AS FILED' ORIGINALLY, HE THOUGHT THAT HE WAS CLRED TO FLY THE STAR SINCE IT WAS PART OF THE FLT PLAN. I CANNOT BE CERTAIN WHO IS AT FAULT. OUR FLT PLANS HAVE A REMARKS SECTION IN FIELD 11, AND THE STAR WAS NOT SHOWN ON MY COPY OF THE FLT PLAN. IT COULD BE MANY PEOPLE FROM FSS TO COMPANY DISPATCHERS TO AIR CREW AND YES, EVEN CTLRS, BUT IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. I THINK FLT PLAN INFO SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED IN REMARKS. I DON'T THINK THAT IS WHAT REMARKS WAS CREATED FOR. IT CAN ONLY LEAD TO CONFUSION. IN THIS CASE, THE REQUEST AND THE CLRED RTE WERE SO SIMILAR THAT NOTHING PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. BUT IF WE CONTINUE TO MISUSE THE SYS, THE SYS WILL CATCH UP TO US SOONER OR LATER.

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.