Narrative:

At iad, in the ramp tower, they have installed a digital communications system to provide push clrncs for those equipped with ACARS and subscribe to the system built and maintained by communication radio in anapolis, md. We have had several incidents whereby aircraft have pushed off a gate other than the one that populated in the system. I requested a push clearance off gate xx on the south side of the terminal. The ramp controller took his 'mouse' and clicked on xx gate issuing the push. The aircraft pushed off another gate on the north side. 2 days later, we had another incident. The system showed the aircraft to be at xz when in fact he was at yz, about 1/2 mi west of xz. 5 days alter, we had another company aircraft parked on zx. When the crew initiated a push request, it showed on xz. This system has some very serious flaws in it and could cause a major accident. If for whatever reason the company gate controller puts the wrong gate information into their system, then aircraft are not going to be shown on the correct gate. It's just a matter of time that 2 of these aircraft will get together using this system. Silent pushbacks are dangerous and not safe. You no longer have the option of listening on the frequency to see what's happening. With all the mobile lounge movements going on on this ramp area and the lack of wing walkers by company, combined with 'silent' pushbacks in the evening bank, this is an accident waiting to happen. Company utilizes this system at dulles. It was bought by the aft authority/authorized and put on line in nov/00. The purpose of the system was to reduce frequency congestion on the ramp and to give the FAA controllers and airport authority/authorized ramp controllers information on gates assigned for inbound aircraft and first departure fix information on outbound. Traffic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR RAMP SUPVR CONCERNED WITH COMPANY AND IAD ARPT AUTH IMPLEMENTATION OF A DIGITAL COM SYS.

Narrative: AT IAD, IN THE RAMP TWR, THEY HAVE INSTALLED A DIGITAL COMS SYS TO PROVIDE PUSH CLRNCS FOR THOSE EQUIPPED WITH ACARS AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE SYS BUILT AND MAINTAINED BY COM RADIO IN ANAPOLIS, MD. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHEREBY ACFT HAVE PUSHED OFF A GATE OTHER THAN THE ONE THAT POPULATED IN THE SYS. I REQUESTED A PUSH CLRNC OFF GATE XX ON THE S SIDE OF THE TERMINAL. THE RAMP CTLR TOOK HIS 'MOUSE' AND CLICKED ON XX GATE ISSUING THE PUSH. THE ACFT PUSHED OFF ANOTHER GATE ON THE N SIDE. 2 DAYS LATER, WE HAD ANOTHER INCIDENT. THE SYS SHOWED THE ACFT TO BE AT XZ WHEN IN FACT HE WAS AT YZ, ABOUT 1/2 MI W OF XZ. 5 DAYS ALTER, WE HAD ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT PARKED ON ZX. WHEN THE CREW INITIATED A PUSH REQUEST, IT SHOWED ON XZ. THIS SYS HAS SOME VERY SERIOUS FLAWS IN IT AND COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. IF FOR WHATEVER REASON THE COMPANY GATE CTLR PUTS THE WRONG GATE INFO INTO THEIR SYS, THEN ACFT ARE NOT GOING TO BE SHOWN ON THE CORRECT GATE. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME THAT 2 OF THESE ACFT WILL GET TOGETHER USING THIS SYS. SILENT PUSHBACKS ARE DANGEROUS AND NOT SAFE. YOU NO LONGER HAVE THE OPTION OF LISTENING ON THE FREQ TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING. WITH ALL THE MOBILE LOUNGE MOVEMENTS GOING ON ON THIS RAMP AREA AND THE LACK OF WING WALKERS BY COMPANY, COMBINED WITH 'SILENT' PUSHBACKS IN THE EVENING BANK, THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. COMPANY UTILIZES THIS SYS AT DULLES. IT WAS BOUGHT BY THE AFT AUTH AND PUT ON LINE IN NOV/00. THE PURPOSE OF THE SYS WAS TO REDUCE FREQ CONGESTION ON THE RAMP AND TO GIVE THE FAA CTLRS AND ARPT AUTH RAMP CTLRS INFO ON GATES ASSIGNED FOR INBOUND ACFT AND FIRST DEP FIX INFO ON OUTBOUND. TFC.

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.