Narrative:

Recently; the FAA implemented new domestic ICAO procedures; which include filing ICAO-style flight plans for domestic flts. As a result; worked at the sectors has gone up dramatically. The biggest is that the MSAW processing for ICAO styled idents has changed. We now receive false MSAW alerts and; if I recall at least in some cases; no alerts. Controllers are required to check the remarks for flight plans by clicking the yellow box on the uret display. Since the change; there are at least triple the amount of remarks to check; some stated simply ICAO (whether filed kxxx or not); some with 'agcs TCAS;' some stating their rnp value; and the list goes on. This adds workload to controllers and is a distraction to the sector operations. Another example is a new procedure of receiving an ICAO flight plan at the first center sector -- for all ctrs. Further; we are now required to ask very detailed questions when a pilot changes an equipment identify. Used to be; we changed with only a few key strokes; ie; '/right' to '/a.' now we have to obtain some kind of value and enter that into uret on some screen which is not easy to locate. Why? There has been no real explanation as to why the united states has taken this turn (for the worse) and required ICAO compliance for domestic flts; nor what the benefit will be to ATC -- which appears right now to be none.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZFW CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING NEW ICAO FLT PLAN PROCS THAT INCREASE CTLR WORKLOAD AND COULD ADVERSELY EFFECT MSAW PROCESSING.

Narrative: RECENTLY; THE FAA IMPLEMENTED NEW DOMESTIC ICAO PROCS; WHICH INCLUDE FILING ICAO-STYLE FLT PLANS FOR DOMESTIC FLTS. AS A RESULT; WORKED AT THE SECTORS HAS GONE UP DRAMATICALLY. THE BIGGEST IS THAT THE MSAW PROCESSING FOR ICAO STYLED IDENTS HAS CHANGED. WE NOW RECEIVE FALSE MSAW ALERTS AND; IF I RECALL AT LEAST IN SOME CASES; NO ALERTS. CTLRS ARE REQUIRED TO CHK THE REMARKS FOR FLT PLANS BY CLICKING THE YELLOW BOX ON THE URET DISPLAY. SINCE THE CHANGE; THERE ARE AT LEAST TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF REMARKS TO CHK; SOME STATED SIMPLY ICAO (WHETHER FILED KXXX OR NOT); SOME WITH 'AGCS TCAS;' SOME STATING THEIR RNP VALUE; AND THE LIST GOES ON. THIS ADDS WORKLOAD TO CTLRS AND IS A DISTR TO THE SECTOR OPS. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS A NEW PROC OF RECEIVING AN ICAO FLT PLAN AT THE FIRST CTR SECTOR -- FOR ALL CTRS. FURTHER; WE ARE NOW REQUIRED TO ASK VERY DETAILED QUESTIONS WHEN A PLT CHANGES AN EQUIP IDENT. USED TO BE; WE CHANGED WITH ONLY A FEW KEY STROKES; IE; '/R' TO '/A.' NOW WE HAVE TO OBTAIN SOME KIND OF VALUE AND ENTER THAT INTO URET ON SOME SCREEN WHICH IS NOT EASY TO LOCATE. WHY? THERE HAS BEEN NO REAL EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THE UNITED STATES HAS TAKEN THIS TURN (FOR THE WORSE) AND REQUIRED ICAO COMPLIANCE FOR DOMESTIC FLTS; NOR WHAT THE BENEFIT WILL BE TO ATC -- WHICH APPEARS RIGHT NOW TO BE NONE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.