Narrative:

Flight ewr-lax. Aircraft had the ACARS system placarded inoperative per MEL 23-3A. While the flight was en route, ATC called dispatch and requested we have flight come up on their frequency, that they had lost contact with him. With the ACARS system inoperative, I was unable to send him a message. I contacted to have them SELCAL the flight and pass on to the flight the requested ATC frequency. The flight did not respond to the commercial radio operator selcals. At this point, I contacted ZDV to have the flight contact me on the commercial radio frequency to remind the flight that they are required per MEL to monitor company frequency when the ACARS system is inoperative. The flight told me that they were monitoring 121.5, the emergency frequency, and that was the correct frequency to be monitoring. Dispatch does not have access to 121.5, and I was unable to relay any pertinent information to the flight, as this case points out. Lga base operations advises that there is a document that says flts should monitor 121.5, section 6 of the aim states ARTCC does not have adequate range on 121.5. This procedure basically puts a flight in a no communication situation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the dispatcher reported the incident to his dispatcher supervisor. He also contacted the air carrier training department. They did not know the status of maintaining the watch on emergency guard frequency. They appeared to be uninterested in following up on the problem. The reporter requests the FAA to clarify the guard requirement, and disseminate the official findings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DISPATCHER WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT A FLT WITH AN ACARS MEL'ED INOP, AND THE SECOND VHF IS REQUIRED TO BE TUNED TO EMER GUARD FREQ, CAUSING SELCAL TO BE NON FUNCTIONAL.

Narrative: FLT EWR-LAX. ACFT HAD THE ACARS SYS PLACARDED INOP PER MEL 23-3A. WHILE THE FLT WAS ENRTE, ATC CALLED DISPATCH AND REQUESTED WE HAVE FLT COME UP ON THEIR FREQ, THAT THEY HAD LOST CONTACT WITH HIM. WITH THE ACARS SYS INOP, I WAS UNABLE TO SEND HIM A MESSAGE. I CONTACTED TO HAVE THEM SELCAL THE FLT AND PASS ON TO THE FLT THE REQUESTED ATC FREQ. THE FLT DID NOT RESPOND TO THE COMMERCIAL RADIO OPERATOR SELCALS. AT THIS POINT, I CONTACTED ZDV TO HAVE THE FLT CONTACT ME ON THE COMMERCIAL RADIO FREQ TO REMIND THE FLT THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED PER MEL TO MONITOR COMPANY FREQ WHEN THE ACARS SYS IS INOP. THE FLT TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE MONITORING 121.5, THE EMER FREQ, AND THAT WAS THE CORRECT FREQ TO BE MONITORING. DISPATCH DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO 121.5, AND I WAS UNABLE TO RELAY ANY PERTINENT INFO TO THE FLT, AS THIS CASE POINTS OUT. LGA BASE OPS ADVISES THAT THERE IS A DOCUMENT THAT SAYS FLTS SHOULD MONITOR 121.5, SECTION 6 OF THE AIM STATES ARTCC DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE RANGE ON 121.5. THIS PROC BASICALLY PUTS A FLT IN A NO COM SIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE DISPATCHER RPTED THE INCIDENT TO HIS DISPATCHER SUPVR. HE ALSO CONTACTED THE ACR TRAINING DEPT. THEY DID NOT KNOW THE STATUS OF MAINTAINING THE WATCH ON EMER GUARD FREQ. THEY APPEARED TO BE UNINTERESTED IN FOLLOWING UP ON THE PROB. THE RPTR REQUESTS THE FAA TO CLARIFY THE GUARD REQUIREMENT, AND DISSEMINATE THE OFFICIAL FINDINGS.

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.