Narrative:

A center controller refused to provide me a heading or other navigation clearance after my first officer requested assistance due to vuz VOR going inoperative. This report is not about the controller (his supervisor handled that problem), but his unusual response caused me to wonder how my flight got into this situation. Neither my dispatcher nor I caught the en route NOTAM pertaining to vuz being out. I plead guilty, but why does the ATC system allow pilots using archaic, round dial VOR navigation to proceed on a route that has inoperative navaids? My pre departure clearance to bhm was for the filed route terminating at vuz. If a NAVAID over this route was inoperative, shouldn't ATC realize the limitation on its system and clear flts only over suitable rtes? A radio out situation in IMC could have been quite a problem. ATC has the capability to change filed rtes before takeoff when adverse WX or a florida rocket launch shuts down an airway. How was I not to know if vuz was placed back in service? After all, a previous controller did give me a heading to fly 'until receiving vulcan.' he didn't know, either. A computer program closely linking NOTAMS to filed rtes and airports would be useful. This should not be difficult to accomplish with the technology available today.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FINDS ENRTE THAT HE IS UNAWARE OF NAVAID OUTAGE THAT WAS IN A PUBLISHED NOTAM. ATC REFUSED VECTORS EVEN THOUGH THE CLRED RTE IS OVER THE OTS VOR.

Narrative: A CTR CTLR REFUSED TO PROVIDE ME A HDG OR OTHER NAV CLRNC AFTER MY FO REQUESTED ASSISTANCE DUE TO VUZ VOR GOING INOP. THIS RPT IS NOT ABOUT THE CTLR (HIS SUPVR HANDLED THAT PROB), BUT HIS UNUSUAL RESPONSE CAUSED ME TO WONDER HOW MY FLT GOT INTO THIS SIT. NEITHER MY DISPATCHER NOR I CAUGHT THE ENRTE NOTAM PERTAINING TO VUZ BEING OUT. I PLEAD GUILTY, BUT WHY DOES THE ATC SYS ALLOW PLTS USING ARCHAIC, ROUND DIAL VOR NAV TO PROCEED ON A RTE THAT HAS INOP NAVAIDS? MY PDC TO BHM WAS FOR THE FILED RTE TERMINATING AT VUZ. IF A NAVAID OVER THIS RTE WAS INOP, SHOULDN'T ATC REALIZE THE LIMITATION ON ITS SYS AND CLR FLTS ONLY OVER SUITABLE RTES? A RADIO OUT SIT IN IMC COULD HAVE BEEN QUITE A PROB. ATC HAS THE CAPABILITY TO CHANGE FILED RTES BEFORE TKOF WHEN ADVERSE WX OR A FLORIDA ROCKET LAUNCH SHUTS DOWN AN AIRWAY. HOW WAS I NOT TO KNOW IF VUZ WAS PLACED BACK IN SVC? AFTER ALL, A PREVIOUS CTLR DID GIVE ME A HDG TO FLY 'UNTIL RECEIVING VULCAN.' HE DIDN'T KNOW, EITHER. A COMPUTER PROGRAM CLOSELY LINKING NOTAMS TO FILED RTES AND ARPTS WOULD BE USEFUL. THIS SHOULD NOT BE DIFFICULT TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THE TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE TODAY.

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.