Narrative:

This morning; I relieved the OC3 ocean 21/atop controller and I was briefed that we were having cpdlc problems -- aircraft were not replying to ATC clrncs; requests or advisories. Soon after assuming the position; I had the 2 problems occur: 1) I received an outstanding uplink message on air carrier X approaching the boundary sbound. Thus; at XA39 I sent air carrier X the following message: 'select ATC communication off. Log onto next facility.' at XA40 I received the following cpdlc reply to my uplink; 'roger; climb to reach FL320 by XA25; report level FL320; due to traffic.' 2) I receive a request from air carrier Y as to when he could expect a higher altitude. At XB56 I sent air carrier Y the following message; 'you have crossing traffic. Request again at XC25.' XA56; I received the following cpdlc reply to my uplink; 'roger; cleared to deviate up to right 010 NM; report back on route.' obviously the apparent aircraft replies had nothing to do with what I had sent out to the pilots. I subsequently found out that this is a known problem and there is an outstanding report with atop/ocean 21 on the issue. More importantly; when this issue arose; there were no experts in the facility to investigate the problem; even though the new software had only been up and running for 3 days. Luckily; someone was teaching a class in the lab. He was able to contact an expert who was in town (but away from the facility) to come in to investigate. Cpdlc problems in the ocean are an ongoing problem; and an example of this is documented. This must be fixed as soon as possible!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOA CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING NEW CPDLC EQUIP AND PROBS ENCOUNTERED; IE; ACFT NOT RESPONDING OR INACCURATE RESPONSES.

Narrative: THIS MORNING; I RELIEVED THE OC3 OCEAN 21/ATOP CTLR AND I WAS BRIEFED THAT WE WERE HAVING CPDLC PROBS -- ACFT WERE NOT REPLYING TO ATC CLRNCS; REQUESTS OR ADVISORIES. SOON AFTER ASSUMING THE POS; I HAD THE 2 PROBS OCCUR: 1) I RECEIVED AN OUTSTANDING UPLINK MESSAGE ON ACR X APCHING THE BOUNDARY SBOUND. THUS; AT XA39 I SENT ACR X THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE: 'SELECT ATC COM OFF. LOG ONTO NEXT FACILITY.' AT XA40 I RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CPDLC REPLY TO MY UPLINK; 'ROGER; CLB TO REACH FL320 BY XA25; RPT LEVEL FL320; DUE TO TFC.' 2) I RECEIVE A REQUEST FROM ACR Y AS TO WHEN HE COULD EXPECT A HIGHER ALT. AT XB56 I SENT ACR Y THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE; 'YOU HAVE XING TFC. REQUEST AGAIN AT XC25.' XA56; I RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CPDLC REPLY TO MY UPLINK; 'ROGER; CLRED TO DEVIATE UP TO R 010 NM; RPT BACK ON RTE.' OBVIOUSLY THE APPARENT ACFT REPLIES HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT I HAD SENT OUT TO THE PLTS. I SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROB AND THERE IS AN OUTSTANDING RPT WITH ATOP/OCEAN 21 ON THE ISSUE. MORE IMPORTANTLY; WHEN THIS ISSUE AROSE; THERE WERE NO EXPERTS IN THE FACILITY TO INVESTIGATE THE PROB; EVEN THOUGH THE NEW SOFTWARE HAD ONLY BEEN UP AND RUNNING FOR 3 DAYS. LUCKILY; SOMEONE WAS TEACHING A CLASS IN THE LAB. HE WAS ABLE TO CONTACT AN EXPERT WHO WAS IN TOWN (BUT AWAY FROM THE FACILITY) TO COME IN TO INVESTIGATE. CPDLC PROBS IN THE OCEAN ARE AN ONGOING PROB; AND AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS DOCUMENTED. THIS MUST BE FIXED ASAP!

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.