Narrative:

Original re-dispatch message included a wrong re-dispatch fix which was not on our flight plan or our route of flight. We were flying a re-dispatch flight plan to rjaa and our re-dispatch fix was onemu. Received re-dispatch message from dispatcher at XA44Z; exactly 2 hours from re-dispatch fix. Re-dispatch message was wrong -- included wrong re-dispatch fix. The message said we were re-dispatched from 'nanno;' which was a fix not on our flight plan or route of flight. We informed him that the re-dispatch fix was wrong; and he sent new re-dispatch message; but there were no changes to the time of flight; burnout; minimum fuel; etc. The only thing he changed was the re-dispatch fix to the correct fix of 'onemu.' the new message appeared legal; and we accepted it; but the question remains -- was it correct? If the re-dispatch fix was changed; then the other numbers should have changed also. Another question: why is the re-dispatch message being sent exactly at 2 hours? I have had to reject several messages in the last 6 months because they were received more than 2 hours before the re-dispatch fix. What is wrong with 1 hour 45 mins prior; so there is no chance to be outside the legal re-dispatch window? There is a safety problem in how re-dispatch messages are being generated and sent -- which may involve procedural errors; human factors issues; or both. Over the past yr on the -400 fleet; we have been seeing way too many illegal re-dispatch messages. On my previous flight; we received the re-dispatch message 2 hours 15 mins before the re-dispatch fix. The captain was awake this time and we informed the dispatcher to re-send the message when we were within our legal re-dispatch window. On a previous flight the WX was instruments; and the re-dispatch message said 'instruments;' but there was no alternate listed. So again the crew had to intervene and this time the fuel required at re-dispatch did increase. Other errors we are seeing: receiving a B777 re-dispatch message for a B747 flight; receiving messages too early; receiving messages too late; and alternates when the WX is open. In other words; I have personally seen about every possible error in the last 6 months. These errors are being done by experienced dispatchers as well as new dispatchers that may be new because I don't recognize their names. Mistakes are being made during all times of the day; so it may not be related to fatigue; or is it? The dispatchers quickly correct the mistakes. Whatever the case; dispatch needs to take a close look on how they generate and send re-dispatch messages to minimize their errors in order to reduce the possibility of illegal re-dispatches. At least 50% of my messages have been wrong in the past 6 months and the first officer I was flying with said he experiences about 3 out of 4 that are wrong. I hope we are the exception more than the rule; or maybe we actually look at the messages to see if they are right and not just blindly 'rda' them as I have observed many B747 first officer's do.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-400 FLT CREW RECEIVES THE WRONG RE-DISPATCH FIX; CONFERS WITH DISPATCHER AND FIX IS CORRECTED.

Narrative: ORIGINAL RE-DISPATCH MESSAGE INCLUDED A WRONG RE-DISPATCH FIX WHICH WAS NOT ON OUR FLT PLAN OR OUR RTE OF FLT. WE WERE FLYING A RE-DISPATCH FLT PLAN TO RJAA AND OUR RE-DISPATCH FIX WAS ONEMU. RECEIVED RE-DISPATCH MESSAGE FROM DISPATCHER AT XA44Z; EXACTLY 2 HRS FROM RE-DISPATCH FIX. RE-DISPATCH MESSAGE WAS WRONG -- INCLUDED WRONG RE-DISPATCH FIX. THE MESSAGE SAID WE WERE RE-DISPATCHED FROM 'NANNO;' WHICH WAS A FIX NOT ON OUR FLT PLAN OR RTE OF FLT. WE INFORMED HIM THAT THE RE-DISPATCH FIX WAS WRONG; AND HE SENT NEW RE-DISPATCH MESSAGE; BUT THERE WERE NO CHANGES TO THE TIME OF FLT; BURNOUT; MINIMUM FUEL; ETC. THE ONLY THING HE CHANGED WAS THE RE-DISPATCH FIX TO THE CORRECT FIX OF 'ONEMU.' THE NEW MESSAGE APPEARED LEGAL; AND WE ACCEPTED IT; BUT THE QUESTION REMAINS -- WAS IT CORRECT? IF THE RE-DISPATCH FIX WAS CHANGED; THEN THE OTHER NUMBERS SHOULD HAVE CHANGED ALSO. ANOTHER QUESTION: WHY IS THE RE-DISPATCH MESSAGE BEING SENT EXACTLY AT 2 HRS? I HAVE HAD TO REJECT SEVERAL MESSAGES IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS BECAUSE THEY WERE RECEIVED MORE THAN 2 HRS BEFORE THE RE-DISPATCH FIX. WHAT IS WRONG WITH 1 HR 45 MINS PRIOR; SO THERE IS NO CHANCE TO BE OUTSIDE THE LEGAL RE-DISPATCH WINDOW? THERE IS A SAFETY PROB IN HOW RE-DISPATCH MESSAGES ARE BEING GENERATED AND SENT -- WHICH MAY INVOLVE PROCEDURAL ERRORS; HUMAN FACTORS ISSUES; OR BOTH. OVER THE PAST YR ON THE -400 FLEET; WE HAVE BEEN SEEING WAY TOO MANY ILLEGAL RE-DISPATCH MESSAGES. ON MY PREVIOUS FLT; WE RECEIVED THE RE-DISPATCH MESSAGE 2 HRS 15 MINS BEFORE THE RE-DISPATCH FIX. THE CAPT WAS AWAKE THIS TIME AND WE INFORMED THE DISPATCHER TO RE-SEND THE MESSAGE WHEN WE WERE WITHIN OUR LEGAL RE-DISPATCH WINDOW. ON A PREVIOUS FLT THE WX WAS INSTS; AND THE RE-DISPATCH MESSAGE SAID 'INSTS;' BUT THERE WAS NO ALTERNATE LISTED. SO AGAIN THE CREW HAD TO INTERVENE AND THIS TIME THE FUEL REQUIRED AT RE-DISPATCH DID INCREASE. OTHER ERRORS WE ARE SEEING: RECEIVING A B777 RE-DISPATCH MESSAGE FOR A B747 FLT; RECEIVING MESSAGES TOO EARLY; RECEIVING MESSAGES TOO LATE; AND ALTERNATES WHEN THE WX IS OPEN. IN OTHER WORDS; I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN ABOUT EVERY POSSIBLE ERROR IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. THESE ERRORS ARE BEING DONE BY EXPERIENCED DISPATCHERS AS WELL AS NEW DISPATCHERS THAT MAY BE NEW BECAUSE I DON'T RECOGNIZE THEIR NAMES. MISTAKES ARE BEING MADE DURING ALL TIMES OF THE DAY; SO IT MAY NOT BE RELATED TO FATIGUE; OR IS IT? THE DISPATCHERS QUICKLY CORRECT THE MISTAKES. WHATEVER THE CASE; DISPATCH NEEDS TO TAKE A CLOSE LOOK ON HOW THEY GENERATE AND SEND RE-DISPATCH MESSAGES TO MINIMIZE THEIR ERRORS IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF ILLEGAL RE-DISPATCHES. AT LEAST 50% OF MY MESSAGES HAVE BEEN WRONG IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS AND THE FO I WAS FLYING WITH SAID HE EXPERIENCES ABOUT 3 OUT OF 4 THAT ARE WRONG. I HOPE WE ARE THE EXCEPTION MORE THAN THE RULE; OR MAYBE WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE MESSAGES TO SEE IF THEY ARE RIGHT AND NOT JUST BLINDLY 'RDA' THEM AS I HAVE OBSERVED MANY B747 FO'S DO.

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.