Narrative:

In boston we received a pre departure clearance on ACARS which read: bos...glyde...baf...ign V157 valre...haarp...lga. We had filed bos...glyde...baf...V292 V157...valre. About 20 mi west of baf center asked us if we were proceeding direct to ign. We were not, we were flying V292, the 279 degree radial west of barnes. Center queried our flight plan and we clarified the situation and proceeded direct ign. No traffic conflicts were remarked about. In fact, center said 'no problem' and the matter was dropped, we presume. Suggestion to rectify and prevent such sits: I suggest that, when a clearance is not 'as filed,' the pdcs on ACARS should be clearly marked with a real eye-catcher such as: 'note, note, note' or '*****' or 'not as filed, be careful stupid.' the current format makes a slight rerte easy to miss.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK POS DEV WHEN FLC VIGILANCE FAILS TO DETECT AMENDED CLRNC RTE CHANGE ON THEIR PDC.

Narrative: IN BOSTON WE RECEIVED A PDC ON ACARS WHICH READ: BOS...GLYDE...BAF...IGN V157 VALRE...HAARP...LGA. WE HAD FILED BOS...GLYDE...BAF...V292 V157...VALRE. ABOUT 20 MI W OF BAF CTR ASKED US IF WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT TO IGN. WE WERE NOT, WE WERE FLYING V292, THE 279 DEG RADIAL W OF BARNES. CTR QUERIED OUR FLT PLAN AND WE CLARIFIED THE SIT AND PROCEEDED DIRECT IGN. NO TFC CONFLICTS WERE REMARKED ABOUT. IN FACT, CTR SAID 'NO PROB' AND THE MATTER WAS DROPPED, WE PRESUME. SUGGESTION TO RECTIFY AND PREVENT SUCH SITS: I SUGGEST THAT, WHEN A CLRNC IS NOT 'AS FILED,' THE PDCS ON ACARS SHOULD BE CLRLY MARKED WITH A REAL EYE-CATCHER SUCH AS: 'NOTE, NOTE, NOTE' OR '*****' OR 'NOT AS FILED, BE CAREFUL STUPID.' THE CURRENT FORMAT MAKES A SLIGHT RERTE EASY TO MISS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.