Air carrier dispatcher reports the inability to send flight plan changes to B777 aircraft over the n...

Attributes
ACN	748081
Time
Date	200708
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	FO
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
ASRS Report	748081
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

This flight incurred a rerte over the atlantic ocean and due to a known software problem with the B777; I was unable to send an updated flight plan to the flight deck and I was unable to cut-north-paste; our back-up method; as well. The crew needs to be able to xchk their rerte in their FMC with a flight plan produced by dispatch to prevent gross navigation errors. The reluctance of management to solve this problem needs to end. Financial economics is no excuse to ignore safety. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated this software problem has existed for years and it is time to get it fixed. When two or more B777 aircraft need new flight plans sent while over the atlantic; the time required can easily exceed the time available to send the data.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DISPATCHER REPORTS THE INABILITY TO SEND FLIGHT PLAN CHANGES TO B777 ACFT OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC VIA SATCOM DUE TO A KNOWN SOFTWARE DEFECT.

Narrative: THIS FLT INCURRED A RERTE OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND DUE TO A KNOWN SOFTWARE PROB WITH THE B777; I WAS UNABLE TO SEND AN UPDATED FLT PLAN TO THE FLT DECK AND I WAS UNABLE TO CUT-N-PASTE; OUR BACK-UP METHOD; AS WELL. THE CREW NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO XCHK THEIR RERTE IN THEIR FMC WITH A FLT PLAN PRODUCED BY DISPATCH TO PREVENT GROSS NAV ERRORS. THE RELUCTANCE OF MGMNT TO SOLVE THIS PROB NEEDS TO END. FINANCIAL ECONOMICS IS NO EXCUSE TO IGNORE SAFETY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THIS SOFTWARE PROBLEM HAS EXISTED FOR YEARS AND IT IS TIME TO GET IT FIXED. WHEN TWO OR MORE B777 ACFT NEED NEW FLIGHT PLANS SENT WHILE OVER THE ATLANTIC; THE TIME REQUIRED CAN EASILY EXCEED THE TIME AVAILABLE TO SEND THE DATA.

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.

Air carrier dispatcher reports the inability to send flight plan changes to B777 aircraft over the north atlantic via satcom due to a known software defect.