ZDC controller expressed concern regarding flight plan formatting and airport idents.

Attributes
ACN	717640
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ilm.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation I
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 17
ASRS Report	717640
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

C500 departed ilm airport. Ilmz handed off aircraft to ZDC sector 26. The route of flight on the uret showed ilm AR21 crans FISEL2 fll; as did the NAS database. Aircraft was heading south on AR21; like it showed on flight plan. However; when a route display entry was made on the radar display; it showed route going west; towards flo florence; sc. Aircraft handed off to the wrong sector. Here's the problem; and it may be widespread: AR21 is 'atlantic route two-one.' it is also the airport identifier for a helipad in arkansas. It appears miami FSS goofed; when they were typing in the route of flight. If you use two pads (a period) like this '..' that means to go directly to a fix. In this case; arkansas. If one pad is used '.' that means to join an airway. It should have one DOT; not two. This has happened before. It only takes one little DOT to mess up the whole flight plan; and potentially cause an airspace violation or an operational error. I suggest that a thorough review of all ar rtes be conducted and compared to any airport identifiers. Once the duplicates are found; one of them needs to be changed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDC CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING FLT PLAN FORMATTING AND ARPT IDENTS.

Narrative: C500 DEPARTED ILM ARPT. ILMZ HANDED OFF ACFT TO ZDC SECTOR 26. THE RTE OF FLT ON THE URET SHOWED ILM AR21 CRANS FISEL2 FLL; AS DID THE NAS DATABASE. ACFT WAS HEADING S ON AR21; LIKE IT SHOWED ON FLT PLAN. HOWEVER; WHEN A RTE DISPLAY ENTRY WAS MADE ON THE RADAR DISPLAY; IT SHOWED RTE GOING W; TOWARDS FLO FLORENCE; SC. ACFT HANDED OFF TO THE WRONG SECTOR. HERE'S THE PROB; AND IT MAY BE WIDESPREAD: AR21 IS 'ATLANTIC RTE TWO-ONE.' IT IS ALSO THE ARPT IDENTIFIER FOR A HELIPAD IN ARKANSAS. IT APPEARS MIAMI FSS GOOFED; WHEN THEY WERE TYPING IN THE RTE OF FLT. IF YOU USE TWO PADS (A PERIOD) LIKE THIS '..' THAT MEANS TO GO DIRECTLY TO A FIX. IN THIS CASE; ARKANSAS. IF ONE PAD IS USED '.' THAT MEANS TO JOIN AN AIRWAY. IT SHOULD HAVE ONE DOT; NOT TWO. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. IT ONLY TAKES ONE LITTLE DOT TO MESS UP THE WHOLE FLT PLAN; AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE AN AIRSPACE VIOLATION OR AN OPERROR. I SUGGEST THAT A THOROUGH REVIEW OF ALL AR RTES BE CONDUCTED AND COMPARED TO ANY ARPT IDENTIFIERS. ONCE THE DUPLICATES ARE FOUND; ONE OF THEM NEEDS TO BE CHANGED.

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.