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ZNY controller described atops failure during WX deviation requests; probe attempts unsuccessful; clearance issued without atops information.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 754011 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200709 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : grann |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 36000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zsu.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B767-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : non radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 20 |
| ASRS Report | 754011 |
| Person 2 | |
| Experience | controller radar : 20 |
| ASRS Report | 754011 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
Narrative:
Air carrier X; a flight from south america to the united states; encountered WX at grann intersection and requested deviation around it. When I entered the deviation in atops to send it to the flight; the computer responded 'fpap internal error' and would not let me probe the deviation to see if it was good. I have no idea what 'fpap internal error' means. I tried replacing the flight plan with a new one but it gave me the same result. I could not probe a deviation for air carrier X. This happened at XA30 am so there wasn't anyone around to get help from. I eventually assessed the traffic I had and determined that there shouldn't be anyone around that flight at his altitude and issued the deviation verbally through comrdo. I'm not supposed to do that because all clrncs need to be probed first to check for traffic. This is a safety issue. After talking to a few co-workers; this has happened to them also. This is one of many glitches atops has. A very flawed atops system has taken over the control duties and reduced us to being computer problem fixers.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZNY CTLR DESCRIBED ATOPS FAILURE DURING WX DEV REQUESTS; PROBE ATTEMPTS UNSUCCESSFUL; CLRNC ISSUED WITHOUT ATOPS INFO.
Narrative: ACR X; A FLT FROM SOUTH AMERICA TO THE UNITED STATES; ENCOUNTERED WX AT GRANN INTXN AND REQUESTED DEV AROUND IT. WHEN I ENTERED THE DEV IN ATOPS TO SEND IT TO THE FLT; THE COMPUTER RESPONDED 'FPAP INTERNAL ERROR' AND WOULD NOT LET ME PROBE THE DEV TO SEE IF IT WAS GOOD. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT 'FPAP INTERNAL ERROR' MEANS. I TRIED REPLACING THE FLT PLAN WITH A NEW ONE BUT IT GAVE ME THE SAME RESULT. I COULD NOT PROBE A DEV FOR ACR X. THIS HAPPENED AT XA30 AM SO THERE WASN'T ANYONE AROUND TO GET HELP FROM. I EVENTUALLY ASSESSED THE TFC I HAD AND DETERMINED THAT THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANYONE AROUND THAT FLT AT HIS ALT AND ISSUED THE DEV VERBALLY THROUGH COMRDO. I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT BECAUSE ALL CLRNCS NEED TO BE PROBED FIRST TO CHK FOR TFC. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. AFTER TALKING TO A FEW CO-WORKERS; THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THEM ALSO. THIS IS ONE OF MANY GLITCHES ATOPS HAS. A VERY FLAWED ATOPS SYS HAS TAKEN OVER THE CTL DUTIES AND REDUCED US TO BEING COMPUTER PROB FIXERS.
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.