Narrative:

Dispatched msp to anc with edf as alternate airport. WX VMC at all 3 airports. Crew realized en route that edf not good alternate due to airport closure at our arrival time. Alternate not required and was deleted. Destination WX 75 ft broken 10 SM. I did not see the airport closure information which was included, indented and abbreviated on the last line of the sequence. (I believe it was in correct location according to current convention.) I did look at the alternate WX sequence to determine the suitability of the altitude. The more pertinent information didn't catch my attention, probably because of its location. Factors affecting the quality of human performance: 1) as more information becomes easily available, it is included in dispatch pages. Some information much more pertinent than other information. 2) non essential letters and numbers included at end of all WX sequences - - metar 'codes.' 3) current format is not particularly user friendly for 2 person crew. A) volume of information, B) location of essential information, C) unnecessary information, D) meaningless coded information, and east) excessive use of abbreviation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LGT FLIES FROM MSP TO ANC PLANNING EDF AS AN ALTERNATE. HOWEVER, FLC FAILS TO NOTICE THAT EDF IS CLOSED. INFO WAS AVAILABLE, BUT, FLC FAILS TO NOTICE IT UNTIL LATER.

Narrative: DISPATCHED MSP TO ANC WITH EDF AS ALTERNATE ARPT. WX VMC AT ALL 3 ARPTS. CREW REALIZED ENRTE THAT EDF NOT GOOD ALTERNATE DUE TO ARPT CLOSURE AT OUR ARR TIME. ALTERNATE NOT REQUIRED AND WAS DELETED. DEST WX 75 FT BROKEN 10 SM. I DID NOT SEE THE ARPT CLOSURE INFO WHICH WAS INCLUDED, INDENTED AND ABBREVIATED ON THE LAST LINE OF THE SEQUENCE. (I BELIEVE IT WAS IN CORRECT LOCATION ACCORDING TO CURRENT CONVENTION.) I DID LOOK AT THE ALTERNATE WX SEQUENCE TO DETERMINE THE SUITABILITY OF THE ALT. THE MORE PERTINENT INFO DIDN'T CATCH MY ATTN, PROBABLY BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION. FACTORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE: 1) AS MORE INFO BECOMES EASILY AVAILABLE, IT IS INCLUDED IN DISPATCH PAGES. SOME INFO MUCH MORE PERTINENT THAN OTHER INFO. 2) NON ESSENTIAL LETTERS AND NUMBERS INCLUDED AT END OF ALL WX SEQUENCES - - METAR 'CODES.' 3) CURRENT FORMAT IS NOT PARTICULARLY USER FRIENDLY FOR 2 PERSON CREW. A) VOLUME OF INFO, B) LOCATION OF ESSENTIAL INFO, C) UNNECESSARY INFO, D) MEANINGLESS CODED INFO, AND E) EXCESSIVE USE OF ABBREVIATION.

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.