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Dispatcher complains of extended computer outage.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 447091 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199908 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel |
| Qualification | other |
| Events | |
| Independent Detector | other other : person 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
I work for air carrier flight operations as aircraft dispatcher. I am reporting an ongoing problem of operational control. Air carrier has aircraft operating worldwide, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. An ongoing problem is our computer system. I work united states domestic sectors. I usually have 35-45 -- sometimes 50+ flight plans to work up, file with ATC, and flight follow per FARS and company policy. I will relieve a dispatcher who has maybe 20+ flts in the air when I situation down at the sector. Our problem is the computer system fails often. Tonight it was down hard when I walked in until 4 1/2 hours later, then it was only partially up and painfully slow. Due to the high workload, I could not keep up with forecast amendments, ACARS reports from crews, relay WX updates timely, etc. I maybe had 50-60% operational control on my desk. Other desks were hopelessly behind, overwhelmed! I situation here at home now wondering what I may have missed -- NOTAMS? An amendment? Etc. We all walked out this morning with our heads spinning! This is no way to run a major airline flight control/dispatch. Solution: new system.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DISPATCHER COMPLAINS OF EXTENDED COMPUTER OUTAGE.
Narrative: I WORK FOR ACR FLT OPS AS ACFT DISPATCHER. I AM RPTING AN ONGOING PROB OF OPERATIONAL CTL. ACR HAS ACFT OPERATING WORLDWIDE, 24 HRS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WK. AN ONGOING PROB IS OUR COMPUTER SYS. I WORK UNITED STATES DOMESTIC SECTORS. I USUALLY HAVE 35-45 -- SOMETIMES 50+ FLT PLANS TO WORK UP, FILE WITH ATC, AND FLT FOLLOW PER FARS AND COMPANY POLICY. I WILL RELIEVE A DISPATCHER WHO HAS MAYBE 20+ FLTS IN THE AIR WHEN I SIT DOWN AT THE SECTOR. OUR PROB IS THE COMPUTER SYS FAILS OFTEN. TONIGHT IT WAS DOWN HARD WHEN I WALKED IN UNTIL 4 1/2 HRS LATER, THEN IT WAS ONLY PARTIALLY UP AND PAINFULLY SLOW. DUE TO THE HIGH WORKLOAD, I COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH FORECAST AMENDMENTS, ACARS RPTS FROM CREWS, RELAY WX UPDATES TIMELY, ETC. I MAYBE HAD 50-60% OPERATIONAL CTL ON MY DESK. OTHER DESKS WERE HOPELESSLY BEHIND, OVERWHELMED! I SIT HERE AT HOME NOW WONDERING WHAT I MAY HAVE MISSED -- NOTAMS? AN AMENDMENT? ETC. WE ALL WALKED OUT THIS MORNING WITH OUR HEADS SPINNING! THIS IS NO WAY TO RUN A MAJOR AIRLINE FLT CTL/DISPATCH. SOLUTION: NEW SYS.
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.