Narrative:

When I arrived for the shift it was apparent that the primary data line wasn't working from dispatch. The backup system (laptop computer) was being used by previous shift. I was never able to adequately address the work as numerous outages to the laptop kept occurring for the next 2 hours. It was apparent to me from an adequacy standpoint that this system will not be an acceptable substitute system for any length of time. The difference in the layout of the laptop alone slows the process to almost a complete halt. The printer never worked for the 2 hours it was connected. It is just my opinion but is an opinion of one who has to use the system. Dispatch needs backup data lines to address this -- not the work intensive laptop solution. Supplemental information from acn 588121: I have never received any training on the laptop or the format that the laptop computer uses. I had trouble getting information from it and found it more of a hindrance than help. No flight crew was aware that there was no ground support from dispatch and did not realize they were operating outside the realm of far 121 operational control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DISPATCH CTR SUFFERED COMPLETE COMPUTER OUTAGE FOR A PERIOD OF SEVERAL HRS. THEIR ABILITY TO FULFILL THEIR PRIMARY OPERATIONAL CTL RESPONSIBILITIES WAS LOST FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND COMPROMISED FOR AN EVEN LONGER PERIOD WHEN LAPTOP COMPUTERS ON WHICH THEY WERE NOT TRAINED WERE SUBSTITUTED.

Narrative: WHEN I ARRIVED FOR THE SHIFT IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE PRIMARY DATA LINE WASN'T WORKING FROM DISPATCH. THE BACKUP SYS (LAPTOP COMPUTER) WAS BEING USED BY PREVIOUS SHIFT. I WAS NEVER ABLE TO ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE WORK AS NUMEROUS OUTAGES TO THE LAPTOP KEPT OCCURRING FOR THE NEXT 2 HRS. IT WAS APPARENT TO ME FROM AN ADEQUACY STANDPOINT THAT THIS SYS WILL NOT BE AN ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTE SYS FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. THE DIFFERENCE IN THE LAYOUT OF THE LAPTOP ALONE SLOWS THE PROCESS TO ALMOST A COMPLETE HALT. THE PRINTER NEVER WORKED FOR THE 2 HRS IT WAS CONNECTED. IT IS JUST MY OPINION BUT IS AN OPINION OF ONE WHO HAS TO USE THE SYS. DISPATCH NEEDS BACKUP DATA LINES TO ADDRESS THIS -- NOT THE WORK INTENSIVE LAPTOP SOLUTION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 588121: I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY TRAINING ON THE LAPTOP OR THE FORMAT THAT THE LAPTOP COMPUTER USES. I HAD TROUBLE GETTING INFO FROM IT AND FOUND IT MORE OF A HINDRANCE THAN HELP. NO FLT CREW WAS AWARE THAT THERE WAS NO GND SUPPORT FROM DISPATCH AND DID NOT REALIZE THEY WERE OPERATING OUTSIDE THE REALM OF FAR 121 OPERATIONAL CTL.

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.