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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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A dispatcher reports a computer programming change overrides the ability to input a final restricting mzfw.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 727743 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200702 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : las.airport |
| State Reference | NV |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel |
| ASRS Report | 727743 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other other : 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
The air carrier flights normally have a full passenger load of 156 and heavy bags so; to protect my fuel reserves into sfo; I plan my flights at mzfw of 134.4. Las fuelers overfueled this flight by approximately 5.0; which restricted the payload. That's when I noticed that the departure weight manifest did not reflect my mzfw override; it was showing 131.1 instead. Why did my override not work? When I worked up las/sfo; same weights/conditions; the override again did not work. Who removed my ability to plan my flights accurately? Last minute payload increases always impact my fuel reserves; which I do plan for. The result is I will now have to plan additional fuel for each and every flight; regardless of conditions; and issue inaccurate flight releases to the crews. Programming the load planning computer to override my dispatch authority is unacceptable.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DISPATCHER RPTS A COMPUTER PROGRAMMING CHANGE OVERRIDES THE ABILITY TO INPUT A FINAL RESTRICTING MZFW.
Narrative: THE ACR FLIGHTS NORMALLY HAVE A FULL PAX LOAD OF 156 AND HEAVY BAGS SO; TO PROTECT MY FUEL RESERVES INTO SFO; I PLAN MY FLIGHTS AT MZFW OF 134.4. LAS FUELERS OVERFUELED THIS FLT BY APPROX 5.0; WHICH RESTRICTED THE PAYLOAD. THAT'S WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE DEP WT MANIFEST DID NOT REFLECT MY MZFW OVERRIDE; IT WAS SHOWING 131.1 INSTEAD. WHY DID MY OVERRIDE NOT WORK? WHEN I WORKED UP LAS/SFO; SAME WEIGHTS/CONDITIONS; THE OVERRIDE AGAIN DID NOT WORK. WHO REMOVED MY ABILITY TO PLAN MY FLIGHTS ACCURATELY? LAST MINUTE PAYLOAD INCREASES ALWAYS IMPACT MY FUEL RESERVES; WHICH I DO PLAN FOR. THE RESULT IS I WILL NOW HAVE TO PLAN ADDITIONAL FUEL FOR EACH AND EVERY FLIGHT; REGARDLESS OF CONDITIONS; AND ISSUE INACCURATE FLIGHT RELEASES TO THE CREWS. PROGRAMMING THE LOAD PLANNING COMPUTER TO OVERRIDE MY DISPATCH AUTHORITY IS UNACCEPTABLE.
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.