Narrative:

Iad datalink delivery of taxi clearance needs work and needs continuity. Paperwork from operations does not say to contact ground when at holding spot. Since other 2 datalink delivery of taxi clearance reports do not require you to call, you would think they would contact you after TR report. Ramp control seemed to be giving the clearance and then typing it into ACARS. That meant you had a copy of taxi clearance available to clear up any confusion. Ground gives an expect clearance and verbal clearance after that. Expect clearance creates wishful listening opportunities with no written confirmation. Datalink delivery of taxi clearance slows operation doubling workload for both controllers and pilots. Less safe. Makes busy work for both controllers and pilots, more heads down operation in a very busy segment of the operation. Increases taxi time with both the increased busy work as well as confusion with irregular operations. The only airport in the system to use this method.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC CONCERNED WITH COCKPIT COORD COM IMPACT WITH NEW COMPANY DATALINK DELIVERY OF TAXI CLRNCS SYS.

Narrative: IAD DATALINK DELIVERY OF TAXI CLRNC NEEDS WORK AND NEEDS CONTINUITY. PAPERWORK FROM OPS DOES NOT SAY TO CONTACT GND WHEN AT HOLDING SPOT. SINCE OTHER 2 DATALINK DELIVERY OF TAXI CLRNC RPTS DO NOT REQUIRE YOU TO CALL, YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD CONTACT YOU AFTER TR RPT. RAMP CTL SEEMED TO BE GIVING THE CLRNC AND THEN TYPING IT INTO ACARS. THAT MEANT YOU HAD A COPY OF TAXI CLRNC AVAILABLE TO CLR UP ANY CONFUSION. GND GIVES AN EXPECT CLRNC AND VERBAL CLRNC AFTER THAT. EXPECT CLRNC CREATES WISHFUL LISTENING OPPORTUNITIES WITH NO WRITTEN CONFIRMATION. DATALINK DELIVERY OF TAXI CLRNC SLOWS OP DOUBLING WORKLOAD FOR BOTH CTLRS AND PLTS. LESS SAFE. MAKES BUSY WORK FOR BOTH CTLRS AND PLTS, MORE HEADS DOWN OP IN A VERY BUSY SEGMENT OF THE OP. INCREASES TAXI TIME WITH BOTH THE INCREASED BUSY WORK AS WELL AS CONFUSION WITH IRREGULAR OPS. THE ONLY ARPT IN THE SYS TO USE THIS METHOD.

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.