Narrative:

Far part 121.107 states air carrier must maintain 'proper' operational control. Air carrier has chosen, quite likely for financial reasons, to lower the number of dispatchers on duty, from 5, down to 4. Being that we operate a large portion of fleet in the congested northeast corridor of united states and that associated ATC delays, and the normal northeast united states WX having many days of IFR, or low IFR, one can see that irregular operations can occur, quite often, more so in fall and winter months. From past experience, it has been found that 10 aircraft per dispatcher is a handful on those bad WX/ATC days. Now, however, each dispatcher is assigned 12, and 1 dispatch sector in office, has 13 aircraft. It's already been proven (this commenced on oct/xx/95) that during the above conditions, there is not, nor is there any chance of having operational control, ie, knowing where, and the fuel status, and WX conditions, of each aircraft at any given time. This is not safe, and misses the point of far stated above. The job load, phone calls and dispatch release system, etc, make it impossible to know what all is going on with one's aircraft. Also then, unable to relay to captain, as per FARS, any updated WX or any other changes. Sometimes have missed MEL items that were affected by WX conditions, etc, etc. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states there is no recourse through his company. Dispatchers have recently voted into a union and are now awaiting negotiations. They did not wish to go union but felt they have no choice. When 1 dispatcher retired, 1 went with another airline and 1 moved to another position in the company, it was decided to save money by not replacing those dispatchers. Therein lies the problem. Pilots are less than thrilled when they cannot reach dispatch and dispatchers feel greatly overloaded. It is recommended that reporter make use of the FAA hotline.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER WORKLOAD INCREASED TO WHAT DISPATCHERS BELIEVE IS UNSAFE SIT.

Narrative: FAR PART 121.107 STATES ACR MUST MAINTAIN 'PROPER' OPERATIONAL CTL. ACR HAS CHOSEN, QUITE LIKELY FOR FINANCIAL REASONS, TO LOWER THE NUMBER OF DISPATCHERS ON DUTY, FROM 5, DOWN TO 4. BEING THAT WE OPERATE A LARGE PORTION OF FLEET IN THE CONGESTED NE CORRIDOR OF UNITED STATES AND THAT ASSOCIATED ATC DELAYS, AND THE NORMAL NE UNITED STATES WX HAVING MANY DAYS OF IFR, OR LOW IFR, ONE CAN SEE THAT IRREGULAR OPS CAN OCCUR, QUITE OFTEN, MORE SO IN FALL AND WINTER MONTHS. FROM PAST EXPERIENCE, IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT 10 ACFT PER DISPATCHER IS A HANDFUL ON THOSE BAD WX/ATC DAYS. NOW, HOWEVER, EACH DISPATCHER IS ASSIGNED 12, AND 1 DISPATCH SECTOR IN OFFICE, HAS 13 ACFT. IT'S ALREADY BEEN PROVEN (THIS COMMENCED ON OCT/XX/95) THAT DURING THE ABOVE CONDITIONS, THERE IS NOT, NOR IS THERE ANY CHANCE OF HAVING OPERATIONAL CTL, IE, KNOWING WHERE, AND THE FUEL STATUS, AND WX CONDITIONS, OF EACH ACFT AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THIS IS NOT SAFE, AND MISSES THE POINT OF FAR STATED ABOVE. THE JOB LOAD, PHONE CALLS AND DISPATCH RELEASE SYS, ETC, MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW WHAT ALL IS GOING ON WITH ONE'S ACFT. ALSO THEN, UNABLE TO RELAY TO CAPT, AS PER FARS, ANY UPDATED WX OR ANY OTHER CHANGES. SOMETIMES HAVE MISSED MEL ITEMS THAT WERE AFFECTED BY WX CONDITIONS, ETC, ETC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THERE IS NO RECOURSE THROUGH HIS COMPANY. DISPATCHERS HAVE RECENTLY VOTED INTO A UNION AND ARE NOW AWAITING NEGOTIATIONS. THEY DID NOT WISH TO GO UNION BUT FELT THEY HAVE NO CHOICE. WHEN 1 DISPATCHER RETIRED, 1 WENT WITH ANOTHER AIRLINE AND 1 MOVED TO ANOTHER POS IN THE COMPANY, IT WAS DECIDED TO SAVE MONEY BY NOT REPLACING THOSE DISPATCHERS. THEREIN LIES THE PROB. PLTS ARE LESS THAN THRILLED WHEN THEY CANNOT REACH DISPATCH AND DISPATCHERS FEEL GREATLY OVERLOADED. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT RPTR MAKE USE OF THE FAA HOTLINE.

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.