Narrative:

The new RNAV sids at the dfw airport were activated september 2005 and there have been numerous pilot deviations from that time and are continuing to happen. If pilots do not correctly identify the transition of the SID while inputting the SID; points on the procedure are left out of the FMS. Even if the procedure is input correctly; if there is a subsequent change; eg; cleared direct to a fix; the FMS drops all transition fixes out and they must be reentered. This apparently happens on smiths; honeywell; and universal boxes. This is unacceptable. If you go direct to a point; it should not take out the route of flight after that fix; only the fixes you will be bypassing. Examples of problem: a CRJ7 out of dfw was supposed to fly the nobly RNAV SID. This would have him on the TTT064R to nobly; cobug; ortro; lit and on. At nobly; that aircraft made a 45 degree turn to the left and was proceeding direct to rosewood; oh. This violated another airspace and put this climbing aircraft head on with other descending aircraft in an arrival corridor. An MD80 and B737 are on separate side by side RNAV sids. The controller notices the B737 off course; issues an immediate 30 degree turn and stop climb. Conflict alert did not go off until after the turn was issued. Separation was maintained with 5 miles and 500 ft. The controller was busy and caught this error in the nick of time. There are 16 RNAV sids out of dfw that are very closely spaced until aircraft are at least 70 miles from the airport. Any turn off the procedure puts them dangerously close to other aircraft. There are at least 30 documented reports of this error and they continue to happen. Briefing items were put out to carriers twice. I think the FMS systems are to blame; they should be more user friendly and they should not delete previously entered fixes that come after a direct clearance. Until things are resolved; these procedures should be turned off and not used. It is my understanding that some aircrews are refusing to fly them.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC ADMINISTRATOR ADVISES OF ONGOING TRACK DEVS ON RNAV SIDS FROM DFW. RPTR PROVIDES TWO EXAMPLES AND SUSPECTS EITHER FMS SOFTWARE OR PROGRAMMING PROBS.

Narrative: THE NEW RNAV SIDS AT THE DFW ARPT WERE ACTIVATED SEPTEMBER 2005 AND THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PLT DEVIATIONS FROM THAT TIME AND ARE CONTINUING TO HAPPEN. IF PLTS DO NOT CORRECTLY IDENTIFY THE TRANSITION OF THE SID WHILE INPUTTING THE SID; POINTS ON THE PROC ARE LEFT OUT OF THE FMS. EVEN IF THE PROC IS INPUT CORRECTLY; IF THERE IS A SUBSEQUENT CHANGE; EG; CLRED DIRECT TO A FIX; THE FMS DROPS ALL TRANSITION FIXES OUT AND THEY MUST BE REENTERED. THIS APPARENTLY HAPPENS ON SMITHS; HONEYWELL; AND UNIVERSAL BOXES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. IF YOU GO DIRECT TO A POINT; IT SHOULD NOT TAKE OUT THE RTE OF FLT AFTER THAT FIX; ONLY THE FIXES YOU WILL BE BYPASSING. EXAMPLES OF PROB: A CRJ7 OUT OF DFW WAS SUPPOSED TO FLY THE NOBLY RNAV SID. THIS WOULD HAVE HIM ON THE TTT064R TO NOBLY; COBUG; ORTRO; LIT AND ON. AT NOBLY; THAT ACFT MADE A 45 DEG TURN TO THE L AND WAS PROCEEDING DIRECT TO ROSEWOOD; OH. THIS VIOLATED ANOTHER AIRSPACE AND PUT THIS CLBING ACFT HEAD ON WITH OTHER DSNDING ACFT IN AN ARR CORRIDOR. AN MD80 AND B737 ARE ON SEPARATE SIDE BY SIDE RNAV SIDS. THE CTLR NOTICES THE B737 OFF COURSE; ISSUES AN IMMEDIATE 30 DEG TURN AND STOP CLB. CONFLICT ALERT DID NOT GO OFF UNTIL AFTER THE TURN WAS ISSUED. SEPARATION WAS MAINTAINED WITH 5 MILES AND 500 FT. THE CTLR WAS BUSY AND CAUGHT THIS ERROR IN THE NICK OF TIME. THERE ARE 16 RNAV SIDS OUT OF DFW THAT ARE VERY CLOSELY SPACED UNTIL ACFT ARE AT LEAST 70 MILES FROM THE ARPT. ANY TURN OFF THE PROC PUTS THEM DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO OTHER ACFT. THERE ARE AT LEAST 30 DOCUMENTED RPTS OF THIS ERROR AND THEY CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. BRIEFING ITEMS WERE PUT OUT TO CARRIERS TWICE. I THINK THE FMS SYSTEMS ARE TO BLAME; THEY SHOULD BE MORE USER FRIENDLY AND THEY SHOULD NOT DELETE PREVIOUSLY ENTERED FIXES THAT COME AFTER A DIRECT CLRNC. UNTIL THINGS ARE RESOLVED; THESE PROCS SHOULD BE TURNED OFF AND NOT USED. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME AIRCREWS ARE REFUSING TO FLY THEM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.