B727. Company dispatcher changed alternates and sent crew a revised release.

Attributes
ACN	403560
Time
Date	199805
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sju
State Reference	PR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : tjzs
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While en route to ground, dispatch sent a message to change the alternate to uvf or anu because of a remark in the original release WX that made the original release alternate, bgi, technically unsuitable. The release WX called for a tempo visibility of 2000 meters at bgi. I did not consider tempo visibility to be a factor, but dispatch said we needed at least 2400 meters. The prevailing visibility at bgi was forecast to be 9999 meters or greater than 10000 meters for our arrival time if we had to use it as an alternate. We were still en route to ground when we received the new release over ACARS to use uvf/anu for alternates.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727. COMPANY DISPATCHER CHANGED ALTERNATES AND SENT CREW A REVISED RELEASE.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE TO GND, DISPATCH SENT A MESSAGE TO CHANGE THE ALTERNATE TO UVF OR ANU BECAUSE OF A REMARK IN THE ORIGINAL RELEASE WX THAT MADE THE ORIGINAL RELEASE ALTERNATE, BGI, TECHNICALLY UNSUITABLE. THE RELEASE WX CALLED FOR A TEMPO VISIBILITY OF 2000 METERS AT BGI. I DID NOT CONSIDER TEMPO VISIBILITY TO BE A FACTOR, BUT DISPATCH SAID WE NEEDED AT LEAST 2400 METERS. THE PREVAILING VISIBILITY AT BGI WAS FORECAST TO BE 9999 METERS OR GREATER THAN 10000 METERS FOR OUR ARR TIME IF WE HAD TO USE IT AS AN ALTERNATE. WE WERE STILL ENRTE TO GND WHEN WE RECEIVED THE NEW RELEASE OVER ACARS TO USE UVF/ANU FOR ALTERNATES.

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.