Narrative:

For the second shift within 1 week, I logged into my pc and upon starting it, I received a message box stating that I could not start program X. I called technical services and they were able to get program X working. My concern is that without program X, I have no flight following availability. This is especially important during times of published ATC reroutes and significant WX events such as the one today. The additional concern is that of safety for the airline. During the call to technical services, I must log out of my pc, so they can log in remotely and fix the problem. Sometimes, this can take up to 1 hour or more depending on the situation. During this time, not only am I without program X, I am unable to utilize my primary source of visual WX information (radar, echo tops, etc) as well as flight following to view my flight's progress, routing, or rerouting as the case may be. This is a growing concern as several different dispatchers in the office have had similar problems. When the new system was installed into the pc's in the office, there were minor adjustments that had to be made to each machine. I would like to see technical services coordinate with whoever in management is overseeing the changeover to adapt the machines before installation to minimize wasted time for dispatchers on duty to have to get these adjustments accomplished while being unable to safely and efficiently monitor their flts or WX as well as other means by which vital important information is transmitted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DISPATCHER RPTS PC COMPUTERS HAVE PROGRAMS THAT DONT WORK PROPERLY. THE COMPUTERS ARE TAKEN OFF LINE AND DISPATCHER LOSE THE ABILITY TO FLT FOLLOW OR OBTAIN CURRENT WX.

Narrative: FOR THE SECOND SHIFT WITHIN 1 WK, I LOGGED INTO MY PC AND UPON STARTING IT, I RECEIVED A MESSAGE BOX STATING THAT I COULD NOT START PROGRAM X. I CALLED TECHNICAL SVCS AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET PROGRAM X WORKING. MY CONCERN IS THAT WITHOUT PROGRAM X, I HAVE NO FLT FOLLOWING AVAILABILITY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT DURING TIMES OF PUBLISHED ATC REROUTES AND SIGNIFICANT WX EVENTS SUCH AS THE ONE TODAY. THE ADDITIONAL CONCERN IS THAT OF SAFETY FOR THE AIRLINE. DURING THE CALL TO TECHNICAL SVCS, I MUST LOG OUT OF MY PC, SO THEY CAN LOG IN REMOTELY AND FIX THE PROB. SOMETIMES, THIS CAN TAKE UP TO 1 HR OR MORE DEPENDING ON THE SIT. DURING THIS TIME, NOT ONLY AM I WITHOUT PROGRAM X, I AM UNABLE TO UTILIZE MY PRIMARY SOURCE OF VISUAL WX INFO (RADAR, ECHO TOPS, ETC) AS WELL AS FLT FOLLOWING TO VIEW MY FLT'S PROGRESS, ROUTING, OR REROUTING AS THE CASE MAY BE. THIS IS A GROWING CONCERN AS SEVERAL DIFFERENT DISPATCHERS IN THE OFFICE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBS. WHEN THE NEW SYS WAS INSTALLED INTO THE PC'S IN THE OFFICE, THERE WERE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS THAT HAD TO BE MADE TO EACH MACHINE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE TECHNICAL SVCS COORDINATE WITH WHOEVER IN MGMNT IS OVERSEEING THE CHANGEOVER TO ADAPT THE MACHINES BEFORE INSTALLATION TO MINIMIZE WASTED TIME FOR DISPATCHERS ON DUTY TO HAVE TO GET THESE ADJUSTMENTS ACCOMPLISHED WHILE BEING UNABLE TO SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY MONITOR THEIR FLTS OR WX AS WELL AS OTHER MEANS BY WHICH VITAL IMPORTANT INFO IS XMITTED.

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.