Narrative:

While planning a flight from las-ord, filed las.AACES2.dvc.J146.gld.J192.pwe..irk.BDF3.ord. Captain received an ATC reroute after pushback of las.AACES2.bce.J100.ekr..bff.J94.dbq..jvl..ord. I tried to run flight plan using company software by running a route over bff only, but not ignoring departure/arrival. The software built las.AACCES2.J100.ekr.J116.FAF.J94.dbq..jvl..ord. I then tried to build it ignoring departure/arrival and entering route bce.J100.ekr..bff.J94.jvl. The software produced las.AACES2.bce.J100.ekr.J116.fqf..bff.J94.dbq..jvl..ord. I then attempted to run it a third time, entering route and software still produced las.AACES2.bce.J100.ekr.J116.fqf..bff.J94.dbq..jvl..ord. I eventually had to run a forward flight plan which does not check driftdown. This has a major impact on both safety and dispatcher workload, which could lead to further safety issues. Dispatcher has only 2 options. Use the forward flight planning system and check driftdown manually, or have the fic build a route, both of which are time consuming and can cause lengthy unneeded delays. In this instance, aircraft was very light and I could quickly verify driftdown. I also had the crew check driftdown numbers. Current flight planning is extremely inefficient and potentially unsafe.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 DISPATCHER, USING HIS COMPANY'S APPROVED SOFTWARE, WAS UNABLE TO COME UP WITH THE SAME FLT PLAN THAT WAS ISSUED BY LAS CLRNC DELIVERY.

Narrative: WHILE PLANNING A FLT FROM LAS-ORD, FILED LAS.AACES2.DVC.J146.GLD.J192.PWE..IRK.BDF3.ORD. CAPT RECEIVED AN ATC REROUTE AFTER PUSHBACK OF LAS.AACES2.BCE.J100.EKR..BFF.J94.DBQ..JVL..ORD. I TRIED TO RUN FLT PLAN USING COMPANY SOFTWARE BY RUNNING A RTE OVER BFF ONLY, BUT NOT IGNORING DEP/ARR. THE SOFTWARE BUILT LAS.AACCES2.J100.EKR.J116.FAF.J94.DBQ..JVL..ORD. I THEN TRIED TO BUILD IT IGNORING DEP/ARR AND ENTERING RTE BCE.J100.EKR..BFF.J94.JVL. THE SOFTWARE PRODUCED LAS.AACES2.BCE.J100.EKR.J116.FQF..BFF.J94.DBQ..JVL..ORD. I THEN ATTEMPTED TO RUN IT A THIRD TIME, ENTERING RTE AND SOFTWARE STILL PRODUCED LAS.AACES2.BCE.J100.EKR.J116.FQF..BFF.J94.DBQ..JVL..ORD. I EVENTUALLY HAD TO RUN A FORWARD FLT PLAN WHICH DOES NOT CHK DRIFTDOWN. THIS HAS A MAJOR IMPACT ON BOTH SAFETY AND DISPATCHER WORKLOAD, WHICH COULD LEAD TO FURTHER SAFETY ISSUES. DISPATCHER HAS ONLY 2 OPTIONS. USE THE FORWARD FLT PLANNING SYS AND CHK DRIFTDOWN MANUALLY, OR HAVE THE FIC BUILD A RTE, BOTH OF WHICH ARE TIME CONSUMING AND CAN CAUSE LENGTHY UNNEEDED DELAYS. IN THIS INSTANCE, ACFT WAS VERY LIGHT AND I COULD QUICKLY VERIFY DRIFTDOWN. I ALSO HAD THE CREW CHK DRIFTDOWN NUMBERS. CURRENT FLT PLANNING IS EXTREMELY INEFFICIENT AND POTENTIALLY UNSAFE.

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.