Dispatch routing over 'OTS' facility.

Attributes
ACN	313012
Time
Date	199508
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	313012
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier airline X part 121 dispatch continues to dispatch IFR flts over navaids 'OTS'. Third NASA report, fifth contact with supervisors. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter's concern with dispatch routing over facs which are OTS. After many complaints to his chief pilot, the chief pilot now agrees that it is not proper dispatch filing, but dispatchers don't want to review the canned routings daily to see if a fix is OTS. Communication with the local ARTCC facility assured the reporter and their company ATC coordinator that it is of no consequence when a VOR is OTS because they will provide radar vectors. Reporter asks, 'what if I lose my radios?' in that situation it would not be possible to provide radar vectors and the routing is unclr. Reporter thinks there should be more specific and detailed routing in the event an enroute clearance fix is OTS. Reporter also says that the ATC handbook specifically prohibits clearing or filing routing over an OTS facility.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCH ROUTING OVER 'OTS' FAC.

Narrative: ACR AIRLINE X PART 121 DISPATCH CONTINUES TO DISPATCH IFR FLTS OVER NAVAIDS 'OTS'. THIRD NASA RPT, FIFTH CONTACT WITH SUPERVISORS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR'S CONCERN WITH DISPATCH ROUTING OVER FACS WHICH ARE OTS. AFTER MANY COMPLAINTS TO HIS CHIEF PLT, THE CHIEF PLT NOW AGREES THAT IT IS NOT PROPER DISPATCH FILING, BUT DISPATCHERS DON'T WANT TO REVIEW THE CANNED ROUTINGS DAILY TO SEE IF A FIX IS OTS. COM WITH THE LCL ARTCC FAC ASSURED THE RPTR AND THEIR COMPANY ATC COORDINATOR THAT IT IS OF NO CONSEQUENCE WHEN A VOR IS OTS BECAUSE THEY WILL PROVIDE RADAR VECTORS. RPTR ASKS, 'WHAT IF I LOSE MY RADIOS?' IN THAT SIT IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE RADAR VECTORS AND THE ROUTING IS UNCLR. RPTR THINKS THERE SHOULD BE MORE SPECIFIC AND DETAILED ROUTING IN THE EVENT AN ENROUTE CLRNC FIX IS OTS. RPTR ALSO SAYS THAT THE ATC HANDBOOK SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITS CLRING OR FILING ROUTING OVER AN OTS FAC.

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.