Reporter claims computer generated fix names are becoming unpronounceable. Reporter's opinion these ...

Narrative:

My concern is not a particular event and/or situation. However, I do believe that a situation will eventually occur due to confusion or miscom. Various fix names, ie, radar/DME/GPS/RNAV/intxns are becoming un-pronounceable. These fixes are computer generated and are obviously not checked for pronunciation. The air traffic controller's handbook FAA order 7110.65 requires controllers to clear aircraft to fixes for routings, approach clrncs, holding instructions, etc. An increasing number of these fixes, at least in my opinion, have no english pronunciation. I believe eventually this is going to attribute to, if not a hazardous, catastrophic occurrence -- at least an operational deviation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the topic was discussed among a group of controllers but that to reporter's knowledge it has not been pursued at the facility level or if it has been elevated outside the facility. Reporter is considering using the administrator's hotline. Reporter felt the center computer program should be changed to accept more than the 5 character limitation currently in use which would provide more flexibility to generating understandable fix names/sids.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CLAIMS COMPUTER GENERATED FIX NAMES ARE BECOMING UNPRONOUNCEABLE. RPTR'S OPINION THESE HAVE NO ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION AND COULD LEAD TO, AT THE LEAST, AN OPDEV.

Narrative: MY CONCERN IS NOT A PARTICULAR EVENT AND/OR SIT. HOWEVER, I DO BELIEVE THAT A SIT WILL EVENTUALLY OCCUR DUE TO CONFUSION OR MISCOM. VARIOUS FIX NAMES, IE, RADAR/DME/GPS/RNAV/INTXNS ARE BECOMING UN-PRONOUNCEABLE. THESE FIXES ARE COMPUTER GENERATED AND ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT CHKED FOR PRONUNCIATION. THE AIR TFC CTLR'S HANDBOOK FAA ORDER 7110.65 REQUIRES CTLRS TO CLR ACFT TO FIXES FOR ROUTINGS, APCH CLRNCS, HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS, ETC. AN INCREASING NUMBER OF THESE FIXES, AT LEAST IN MY OPINION, HAVE NO ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION. I BELIEVE EVENTUALLY THIS IS GOING TO ATTRIBUTE TO, IF NOT A HAZARDOUS, CATASTROPHIC OCCURRENCE -- AT LEAST AN OPDEV. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE TOPIC WAS DISCUSSED AMONG A GROUP OF CTLRS BUT THAT TO RPTR'S KNOWLEDGE IT HAS NOT BEEN PURSUED AT THE FACILITY LEVEL OR IF IT HAS BEEN ELEVATED OUTSIDE THE FACILITY. RPTR IS CONSIDERING USING THE ADMINISTRATOR'S HOTLINE. RPTR FELT THE CTR COMPUTER PROGRAM SHOULD BE CHANGED TO ACCEPT MORE THAN THE 5 CHARACTER LIMITATION CURRENTLY IN USE WHICH WOULD PROVIDE MORE FLEXIBILITY TO GENERATING UNDERSTANDABLE FIX NAMES/SIDS.

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.

Attributes
ACN	376786
Time
Date	199708
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tpa
State Reference	FL
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lga
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 8 controller radar : 17 controller supervisory : 4
ASRS Report	376786
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Reporter claims computer generated fix names are becoming unpronounceable. Reporter's opinion these have no english pronunciation and could lead to, at the least, an operational deviation.