Narrative:

Roosevelt roads, pr, is listed as an alternate airport in C70 authority/authorized airports section of the operations specifications. Dispatch does not automatically receive nrr airport NOTAMS through the NOTAM system. A procedure was developed that personnel in navigation data would contact nrr (tjnr) via phone and manually input their NOTAMS. Dispatchers were encouraged to utilize nrr due to the close proximity to sju and subsequent fuel savings. Most dispatchers do not use nrr because of the way NOTAMS are reported to dispatch. On sep/xa/97 in a discussion with the sju ATC watch supervisor about circle-to- land procedures for sju runway 26 and runway 28, I learned by chance that nrr had closed their airport. I reviewed the nrr NOTAM in our computer system which was updated sep/yy/97 at XA00Z and there was no reference to nrr aerodrome closed. It was notamed closed from sep/aa/97 XB30Z through sep/xb/97 XB00Z. Flts were holding at sju periodically due to WX associated with hurricane preventing circle-to-land. Although none of the flts had nrr as an alternate, it is conceivable that dispatch could change the alternate from sdq/stx to nrr to gain more holding time. Calling nrr twice a day for NOTAMS does not insure accurate information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCH RPT REGARDING THE LACK OF NOTAM INFO ON AN ALTERNATE ARPT FOR SJU, PR. ARPT WAS CLOSED BUT NOTAM INFO NOT DISPERSED. DISPATCH FEELS THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY.

Narrative: ROOSEVELT ROADS, PR, IS LISTED AS AN ALTERNATE ARPT IN C70 AUTH ARPTS SECTION OF THE OPS SPECS. DISPATCH DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVE NRR ARPT NOTAMS THROUGH THE NOTAM SYS. A PROC WAS DEVELOPED THAT PERSONNEL IN NAV DATA WOULD CONTACT NRR (TJNR) VIA PHONE AND MANUALLY INPUT THEIR NOTAMS. DISPATCHERS WERE ENCOURAGED TO UTILIZE NRR DUE TO THE CLOSE PROX TO SJU AND SUBSEQUENT FUEL SAVINGS. MOST DISPATCHERS DO NOT USE NRR BECAUSE OF THE WAY NOTAMS ARE RPTED TO DISPATCH. ON SEP/XA/97 IN A DISCUSSION WITH THE SJU ATC WATCH SUPVR ABOUT CIRCLE-TO- LAND PROCS FOR SJU RWY 26 AND RWY 28, I LEARNED BY CHANCE THAT NRR HAD CLOSED THEIR ARPT. I REVIEWED THE NRR NOTAM IN OUR COMPUTER SYS WHICH WAS UPDATED SEP/YY/97 AT XA00Z AND THERE WAS NO REF TO NRR AERODROME CLOSED. IT WAS NOTAMED CLOSED FROM SEP/AA/97 XB30Z THROUGH SEP/XB/97 XB00Z. FLTS WERE HOLDING AT SJU PERIODICALLY DUE TO WX ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE PREVENTING CIRCLE-TO-LAND. ALTHOUGH NONE OF THE FLTS HAD NRR AS AN ALTERNATE, IT IS CONCEIVABLE THAT DISPATCH COULD CHANGE THE ALTERNATE FROM SDQ/STX TO NRR TO GAIN MORE HOLDING TIME. CALLING NRR TWICE A DAY FOR NOTAMS DOES NOT INSURE ACCURATE INFO.

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.