Narrative:

I fly for brand X at dfw. We recently switched from using 131.95 for company communication with dispatch to a system called 'telesis.' on telesis, if we need to speak with dispatch we click on the microphone 4 times and, like magic, dispatch is supposed to come on line. They used to monitor 131.95, now they only come on if they get the telesis activation using the 4 clicks. Problem is, the 4 clicks does not work! The only way -- and I mean only way -- that we can get pertinent safety of flight information from dispatch, is if we have someone (like a ticket agent at the out station) call them on a landline and tell them that we are trying to communication with them. Even sitting on the ramp in dallas (where dispatch is physically located) we have to use this relay method. Well and good as long as you're in range of an outstation! But, if you're between out stations (like going gyv-bna or large transport-dfw) you can't get any out stations to relay the message because they can't hear you! So, flcs are unable to obtain crucial safety of flight information from dispatchers and are unable to maintain 2- way communication with the company at all times. Far as I know, this constitutes a violation of far 121! Repeated written reports have gone unanswered -- well, I shouldn't say that. They say that there's no problem, that it's our fault for running the system wrong. Bull! The local feds have done nothing to correct the problem either. Maybe you can get FAA washington to put pressure on our local feds to force company to correct problem! It's no fun bouncing in the WX at 16000 ft trying to raise dispatch on this worthless system when you need to know where the thunderstorms are! What if we had an emergency? How am I supposed to notify dispatch in accordance with our operations manual?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT IS UNABLE TO CONTACT DISPATCHER USING NEW SELECTIVE CALLING SYS.

Narrative: I FLY FOR BRAND X AT DFW. WE RECENTLY SWITCHED FROM USING 131.95 FOR COMPANY COM WITH DISPATCH TO A SYS CALLED 'TELESIS.' ON TELESIS, IF WE NEED TO SPEAK WITH DISPATCH WE CLICK ON THE MICROPHONE 4 TIMES AND, LIKE MAGIC, DISPATCH IS SUPPOSED TO COME ON LINE. THEY USED TO MONITOR 131.95, NOW THEY ONLY COME ON IF THEY GET THE TELESIS ACTIVATION USING THE 4 CLICKS. PROB IS, THE 4 CLICKS DOES NOT WORK! THE ONLY WAY -- AND I MEAN ONLY WAY -- THAT WE CAN GET PERTINENT SAFETY OF FLT INFO FROM DISPATCH, IS IF WE HAVE SOMEONE (LIKE A TICKET AGENT AT THE OUT STATION) CALL THEM ON A LANDLINE AND TELL THEM THAT WE ARE TRYING TO COM WITH THEM. EVEN SITTING ON THE RAMP IN DALLAS (WHERE DISPATCH IS PHYSICALLY LOCATED) WE HAVE TO USE THIS RELAY METHOD. WELL AND GOOD AS LONG AS YOU'RE IN RANGE OF AN OUTSTATION! BUT, IF YOU'RE BTWN OUT STATIONS (LIKE GOING GYV-BNA OR LGT-DFW) YOU CAN'T GET ANY OUT STATIONS TO RELAY THE MESSAGE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU! SO, FLCS ARE UNABLE TO OBTAIN CRUCIAL SAFETY OF FLT INFO FROM DISPATCHERS AND ARE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN 2- WAY COM WITH THE COMPANY AT ALL TIMES. FAR AS I KNOW, THIS CONSTITUTES A VIOLATION OF FAR 121! REPEATED WRITTEN RPTS HAVE GONE UNANSWERED -- WELL, I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT. THEY SAY THAT THERE'S NO PROB, THAT IT'S OUR FAULT FOR RUNNING THE SYS WRONG. BULL! THE LCL FEDS HAVE DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROB EITHER. MAYBE YOU CAN GET FAA WASHINGTON TO PUT PRESSURE ON OUR LCL FEDS TO FORCE COMPANY TO CORRECT PROB! IT'S NO FUN BOUNCING IN THE WX AT 16000 FT TRYING TO RAISE DISPATCH ON THIS WORTHLESS SYS WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW WHERE THE TSTMS ARE! WHAT IF WE HAD AN EMER? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO NOTIFY DISPATCH IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR OPS MANUAL?

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.