Dispatcher reports that load planning was late in providing last min payload increases to dispatch. ...

Attributes
ACN	581105
Time
Date	200305
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi.airport
State Reference	MD
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
ASRS Report	581105
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : person 1
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

At XA52Z I received a message on my screen printer showing a payload increase on flight XXX. It had already departed the gate and was taxiing to the runway. I sent the captain an ACARS message informing him that his fuel burn would now increase by 3500 pounds and that he may need to return to the gate for more fuel. Thunderstorms were possible in the dfw forecast and I had originally planned the flight to have shv as an alternate with 45 mins of holding fuel. We discussed the WX and decided to continue with the fuel on board. The flight would now only have enough fuel to hold for 29 mins if dfw had arrival problems at his ETA. A revised fuel burn with time and initials was then sent to the crews ACARS unit. I called load planning to find out why the payload increased so much and to find out why dispatch was informed so late. The information I received was that bwi station was accommodating additional military personnel. Load planning apparently was also not informed of the additional payload until departure time. Payload increases are common but a payload increase of this size should have been reported to dispatch at least 15 mins before departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER RPTS THAT LOAD PLANNING WAS LATE IN PROVIDING LAST MIN PAYLOAD INCREASES TO DISPATCH. CONTACTED FLT CREW AS THEY TAXIED OUT AND ADJUSTED FLT FUEL REQUIREMENTS TO ACCOMMODATE THE INCREASED FUEL BURN DUE TO THE PAYLOAD INCREASE.

Narrative: AT XA52Z I RECEIVED A MESSAGE ON MY SCREEN PRINTER SHOWING A PAYLOAD INCREASE ON FLT XXX. IT HAD ALREADY DEPARTED THE GATE AND WAS TAXIING TO THE RWY. I SENT THE CAPT AN ACARS MESSAGE INFORMING HIM THAT HIS FUEL BURN WOULD NOW INCREASE BY 3500 LBS AND THAT HE MAY NEED TO RETURN TO THE GATE FOR MORE FUEL. TSTMS WERE POSSIBLE IN THE DFW FORECAST AND I HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED THE FLT TO HAVE SHV AS AN ALTERNATE WITH 45 MINS OF HOLDING FUEL. WE DISCUSSED THE WX AND DECIDED TO CONTINUE WITH THE FUEL ON BOARD. THE FLT WOULD NOW ONLY HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO HOLD FOR 29 MINS IF DFW HAD ARR PROBS AT HIS ETA. A REVISED FUEL BURN WITH TIME AND INITIALS WAS THEN SENT TO THE CREWS ACARS UNIT. I CALLED LOAD PLANNING TO FIND OUT WHY THE PAYLOAD INCREASED SO MUCH AND TO FIND OUT WHY DISPATCH WAS INFORMED SO LATE. THE INFO I RECEIVED WAS THAT BWI STATION WAS ACCOMMODATING ADDITIONAL MIL PERSONNEL. LOAD PLANNING APPARENTLY WAS ALSO NOT INFORMED OF THE ADDITIONAL PAYLOAD UNTIL DEP TIME. PAYLOAD INCREASES ARE COMMON BUT A PAYLOAD INCREASE OF THIS SIZE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RPTED TO DISPATCH AT LEAST 15 MINS BEFORE DEP.

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.

Dispatcher reports that load planning was late in providing last min payload increases to dispatch. Contacted flight crew as they taxied out and adjusted flight fuel requirements to accommodate the increased fuel burn due to the payload increase.