Narrative:

Computer exhibiting processing problems for several days. At about XA30Z experienced printer failure and unable to restart printer. Printer is only source of communications. Most notably special WX advisories and FMC free text messages from aircraft, as well as all dispatch coordination functions. Computer maintenance called to resolve problem. Computer maintenance worked problem for 2 hours without resolution. At approximately 40 mins into this event, I made decision to move to the backup desk. The backup desk is supposed, by new procedure, to be held in a constant state of readiness. The track ball for the communication panel was not in existence. The track ball for the computer did not work. Unable to get printer functions operating on the backup desk for over 30 mins, mostly due to a hidden problem with screen printer function running in far backgnd. Numerous other difficulties encountered including over 15 min delay getting manager to switch flts from my desk. Also, difficulties in using new satcom dial function, for which dispatch received no training. It has some bugs. Over 1 hour passed without primary communication function, that of the printer, available. There is no telling what all messages might have been missed. Jfk WX fell below landing minima during this, which was not forecast. All flts had to be manually contacted without the help of ACARS. Be advised that computer maintenance did an exceptional job. Unfortunate that results were not forthcoming. Also unfortunate that dispatch equipment fails to operate during the most critical of sits, and procedures not effective. Also note that further delays taken, as usual, to navigation data's procedure to delete the rtes prior to flts landing. When it became necessary to change alternates due to every flight's involvement with jfk, this was not possible. No rtes available was the error message. A call was made to navigation data to have the tracks extended, which takes precious time, usually about 10 mins to have this done. In this case flight abc was begging for fuel information for new alternate and I was unable to respond. Safety was jeopardized by this series of events.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DISPATCHER HAD HIS COMPUTER FAIL. THE BACKUP DESK WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY OPERATIONAL.

Narrative: COMPUTER EXHIBITING PROCESSING PROBS FOR SEVERAL DAYS. AT ABOUT XA30Z EXPERIENCED PRINTER FAILURE AND UNABLE TO RESTART PRINTER. PRINTER IS ONLY SOURCE OF COMS. MOST NOTABLY SPECIAL WX ADVISORIES AND FMC FREE TEXT MESSAGES FROM ACFT, AS WELL AS ALL DISPATCH COORD FUNCTIONS. COMPUTER MAINT CALLED TO RESOLVE PROB. COMPUTER MAINT WORKED PROB FOR 2 HRS WITHOUT RESOLUTION. AT APPROX 40 MINS INTO THIS EVENT, I MADE DECISION TO MOVE TO THE BACKUP DESK. THE BACKUP DESK IS SUPPOSED, BY NEW PROC, TO BE HELD IN A CONSTANT STATE OF READINESS. THE TRACK BALL FOR THE COM PANEL WAS NOT IN EXISTENCE. THE TRACK BALL FOR THE COMPUTER DID NOT WORK. UNABLE TO GET PRINTER FUNCTIONS OPERATING ON THE BACKUP DESK FOR OVER 30 MINS, MOSTLY DUE TO A HIDDEN PROB WITH SCREEN PRINTER FUNCTION RUNNING IN FAR BACKGND. NUMEROUS OTHER DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED INCLUDING OVER 15 MIN DELAY GETTING MGR TO SWITCH FLTS FROM MY DESK. ALSO, DIFFICULTIES IN USING NEW SATCOM DIAL FUNCTION, FOR WHICH DISPATCH RECEIVED NO TRAINING. IT HAS SOME BUGS. OVER 1 HR PASSED WITHOUT PRIMARY COM FUNCTION, THAT OF THE PRINTER, AVAILABLE. THERE IS NO TELLING WHAT ALL MESSAGES MIGHT HAVE BEEN MISSED. JFK WX FELL BELOW LNDG MINIMA DURING THIS, WHICH WAS NOT FORECAST. ALL FLTS HAD TO BE MANUALLY CONTACTED WITHOUT THE HELP OF ACARS. BE ADVISED THAT COMPUTER MAINT DID AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB. UNFORTUNATE THAT RESULTS WERE NOT FORTHCOMING. ALSO UNFORTUNATE THAT DISPATCH EQUIP FAILS TO OPERATE DURING THE MOST CRITICAL OF SITS, AND PROCS NOT EFFECTIVE. ALSO NOTE THAT FURTHER DELAYS TAKEN, AS USUAL, TO NAV DATA'S PROC TO DELETE THE RTES PRIOR TO FLTS LNDG. WHEN IT BECAME NECESSARY TO CHANGE ALTERNATES DUE TO EVERY FLT'S INVOLVEMENT WITH JFK, THIS WAS NOT POSSIBLE. NO RTES AVAILABLE WAS THE ERROR MESSAGE. A CALL WAS MADE TO NAV DATA TO HAVE THE TRACKS EXTENDED, WHICH TAKES PRECIOUS TIME, USUALLY ABOUT 10 MINS TO HAVE THIS DONE. IN THIS CASE FLT ABC WAS BEGGING FOR FUEL INFO FOR NEW ALTERNATE AND I WAS UNABLE TO RESPOND. SAFETY WAS JEOPARDIZED BY THIS SERIES OF EVENTS.

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.