Narrative:

Current lax commercial chart did not depict multiple txwys paved over the previous yr between runway 25L and runway 25R. Lax ATIS information discussed these txwys as being closed though they were not depicted on our chart. These taxiway closures were also not depicted in the NOTAMS on the WX packet. Trying to solve the mystery while we flew an approach into lax was difficult and could result in missing an altitude restr. 2 items: 1) dispatchers do not view the WX packet they provided the pilots. As a result; pilots often must sort through confusing; inadequate; or out-of-date information while airborne. Some of the questions can be answered prior to departure; but the conflict in information often appears with the receipt of ATIS; which is about the time it starts to get busy in the cockpit. Having dispatch take more ownership of the generation of the WX packet; and specifically NOTAMS; will significantly reduce this problem. At a minimum; the dispatcher should review the taf and NOTAMS on the WX packet for the arrival and departure airport to ensure it accurately reflects reality and is not in conflict with other known information. 2) recommended dispatch set up teams to track airport NOTAM information. Currently we rely on individual pilots; who may be through a specific airport every once in a while; to detect and solve discrepancies in published NOTAM information and performance numbers. Setting up teams of dispatchers to take ownership of certain airports and monitor NOTAMS on a daily basis would all but eliminate the confusion for pilots airborne. The pilots must be used as a 'final checker' with regard to NOTAMS and performance calculations; not the primary party responsible for discovering problems with them as is currently the case. Continuing to 'fix' each individual problem the pilots call in about is not the answer. Changing the process so we minimize the occurrence of the problem is.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LAX ATIS REPORTS NUMEROUS TAXIWAYS CLOSED THAT B737 FLT CREW CANNOT LOCATE ON ARPT DIAGRAM.

Narrative: CURRENT LAX COMMERCIAL CHART DID NOT DEPICT MULTIPLE TXWYS PAVED OVER THE PREVIOUS YR BTWN RWY 25L AND RWY 25R. LAX ATIS INFO DISCUSSED THESE TXWYS AS BEING CLOSED THOUGH THEY WERE NOT DEPICTED ON OUR CHART. THESE TXWY CLOSURES WERE ALSO NOT DEPICTED IN THE NOTAMS ON THE WX PACKET. TRYING TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY WHILE WE FLEW AN APCH INTO LAX WAS DIFFICULT AND COULD RESULT IN MISSING AN ALT RESTR. 2 ITEMS: 1) DISPATCHERS DO NOT VIEW THE WX PACKET THEY PROVIDED THE PLTS. AS A RESULT; PLTS OFTEN MUST SORT THROUGH CONFUSING; INADEQUATE; OR OUT-OF-DATE INFO WHILE AIRBORNE. SOME OF THE QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED PRIOR TO DEP; BUT THE CONFLICT IN INFO OFTEN APPEARS WITH THE RECEIPT OF ATIS; WHICH IS ABOUT THE TIME IT STARTS TO GET BUSY IN THE COCKPIT. HAVING DISPATCH TAKE MORE OWNERSHIP OF THE GENERATION OF THE WX PACKET; AND SPECIFICALLY NOTAMS; WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THIS PROB. AT A MINIMUM; THE DISPATCHER SHOULD REVIEW THE TAF AND NOTAMS ON THE WX PACKET FOR THE ARR AND DEP ARPT TO ENSURE IT ACCURATELY REFLECTS REALITY AND IS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH OTHER KNOWN INFO. 2) RECOMMENDED DISPATCH SET UP TEAMS TO TRACK ARPT NOTAM INFO. CURRENTLY WE RELY ON INDIVIDUAL PLTS; WHO MAY BE THROUGH A SPECIFIC ARPT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE; TO DETECT AND SOLVE DISCREPANCIES IN PUBLISHED NOTAM INFO AND PERFORMANCE NUMBERS. SETTING UP TEAMS OF DISPATCHERS TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN ARPTS AND MONITOR NOTAMS ON A DAILY BASIS WOULD ALL BUT ELIMINATE THE CONFUSION FOR PLTS AIRBORNE. THE PLTS MUST BE USED AS A 'FINAL CHECKER' WITH REGARD TO NOTAMS AND PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS; NOT THE PRIMARY PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR DISCOVERING PROBS WITH THEM AS IS CURRENTLY THE CASE. CONTINUING TO 'FIX' EACH INDIVIDUAL PROB THE PLTS CALL IN ABOUT IS NOT THE ANSWER. CHANGING THE PROCESS SO WE MINIMIZE THE OCCURRENCE OF THE PROB IS.

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.