Narrative:

Was advised during the shift that WX retrieval system was down again. So, I was in the process of being sure that all my airborne and flts about to depart were aware that current WX was not current, and to check changeovers and terminal pressure setting information against current ATIS information. As I was doing this, we were informed by a fellow dispatcher that she also saw that NOTAMS were dropping out of the system altogether. This, in fact, was the case. I was able to get the information to almost all flts that were about to depart except 3 or 4 that managed to get airborne. As I was doing this, we were informed by a fellow dispatcher that domestic NOTAMS had dropped out of the system. I was able to get the information to most flts about to depart but timing was such that some flts were already airborne prior to me being aware of situation. Flts to sal, mex and cun, departed without required domestic NOTAMS. I was able to get the information to all flts while they were airborne. This seems to be happening once or more a shift when the WX system goes down, and doesn't seem to be getting better, but worse. Supplemental information from acn 420179: meteorological aeronautical radio codes had stopped automatically coming in and were not attached to flight plan paperwork. Tried to contact all flts that were airborne and on the ground that did not have required NOTAMS. Unable to contact several flts due to ACARS range. Some mso's were rejecting and had to be sent several times, adding workload. Dispatcher had no way of knowing that the flts did not have NOTAMS which are supposed to be automatically attached. Had to re-enter NOTAMS manually into the system and current WX manually.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 DISPATCHER RPTS ON THE PROBS OF OBTAINING AND DISPERSING THE LATEST NOTAMS AND WX RPTS TO DEP FLTS OUT OF DFW, TX. SYS FAILURES PLAGUED THE DISPATCH OFFICE.

Narrative: WAS ADVISED DURING THE SHIFT THAT WX RETRIEVAL SYS WAS DOWN AGAIN. SO, I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING SURE THAT ALL MY AIRBORNE AND FLTS ABOUT TO DEPART WERE AWARE THAT CURRENT WX WAS NOT CURRENT, AND TO CHK CHANGEOVERS AND TERMINAL PRESSURE SETTING INFO AGAINST CURRENT ATIS INFO. AS I WAS DOING THIS, WE WERE INFORMED BY A FELLOW DISPATCHER THAT SHE ALSO SAW THAT NOTAMS WERE DROPPING OUT OF THE SYS ALTOGETHER. THIS, IN FACT, WAS THE CASE. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE INFO TO ALMOST ALL FLTS THAT WERE ABOUT TO DEPART EXCEPT 3 OR 4 THAT MANAGED TO GET AIRBORNE. AS I WAS DOING THIS, WE WERE INFORMED BY A FELLOW DISPATCHER THAT DOMESTIC NOTAMS HAD DROPPED OUT OF THE SYS. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE INFO TO MOST FLTS ABOUT TO DEPART BUT TIMING WAS SUCH THAT SOME FLTS WERE ALREADY AIRBORNE PRIOR TO ME BEING AWARE OF SIT. FLTS TO SAL, MEX AND CUN, DEPARTED WITHOUT REQUIRED DOMESTIC NOTAMS. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE INFO TO ALL FLTS WHILE THEY WERE AIRBORNE. THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING ONCE OR MORE A SHIFT WHEN THE WX SYS GOES DOWN, AND DOESN'T SEEM TO BE GETTING BETTER, BUT WORSE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 420179: METEOROLOGICAL AERONAUTICAL RADIO CODES HAD STOPPED AUTOMATICALLY COMING IN AND WERE NOT ATTACHED TO FLT PLAN PAPERWORK. TRIED TO CONTACT ALL FLTS THAT WERE AIRBORNE AND ON THE GND THAT DID NOT HAVE REQUIRED NOTAMS. UNABLE TO CONTACT SEVERAL FLTS DUE TO ACARS RANGE. SOME MSO'S WERE REJECTING AND HAD TO BE SENT SEVERAL TIMES, ADDING WORKLOAD. DISPATCHER HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT THE FLTS DID NOT HAVE NOTAMS WHICH ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AUTOMATICALLY ATTACHED. HAD TO RE-ENTER NOTAMS MANUALLY INTO THE SYS AND CURRENT WX MANUALLY.

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.