 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
ZSE controller expressed frustration with ATC automation inability to properly identify RNAV and GPS routings.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 586222 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200306 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : ykm.vortac |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 41000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zse.artcc tower : sgf.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Gulfstream IV |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 12.5 controller time certified in position1 : 2 flight time total : 10 |
| ASRS Report | 586222 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA ATC Facility Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : zse.artcc |
Narrative:
The problem is that when an aircraft files a fix that the ARTCC computer (for the departure airport) does not have adapted, the system (flight service?) puts in latitude/longitude fix in its place. In this case, aircraft X intended to have his flight plan read bfi..sea.J5.summa..bgd..dal. Somehow, it was input as bfi..sea.J5.summa..bdg..dal. ZSE computer does not know bdg so latitude/longitude were input instead. Aircraft was cleared 'as filed.' when in my sector I noticed aircraft diverging from route line readout. Discovered discrepancy in flight plan. Also, note remarks section were entered to indicate that the latitude/longitude was bdg. Pilot knows nothing about remarks because they are entered by someone else (FSS?). Multiple problems: 1) ARTCC computers don't have the power of 700 dollar GPS units and can't have all fixes adapted. Ridiculous. 2) should say 'frc' in remarks, so ATC and pilot both are sure about flight plan. 3) any remarks added to flight plan should be told and explained to pilot.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZSE CTLR EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH ATC AUTOMATION INABILITY TO PROPERLY IDENT RNAV AND GPS ROUTINGS.
Narrative: THE PROB IS THAT WHEN AN ACFT FILES A FIX THAT THE ARTCC COMPUTER (FOR THE DEP ARPT) DOES NOT HAVE ADAPTED, THE SYS (FLT SVC?) PUTS IN LATITUDE/LONGITUDE FIX IN ITS PLACE. IN THIS CASE, ACFT X INTENDED TO HAVE HIS FLT PLAN READ BFI..SEA.J5.SUMMA..BGD..DAL. SOMEHOW, IT WAS INPUT AS BFI..SEA.J5.SUMMA..BDG..DAL. ZSE COMPUTER DOES NOT KNOW BDG SO LATITUDE/LONGITUDE WERE INPUT INSTEAD. ACFT WAS CLRED 'AS FILED.' WHEN IN MY SECTOR I NOTICED ACFT DIVERGING FROM RTE LINE READOUT. DISCOVERED DISCREPANCY IN FLT PLAN. ALSO, NOTE REMARKS SECTION WERE ENTERED TO INDICATE THAT THE LATITUDE/LONGITUDE WAS BDG. PLT KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT REMARKS BECAUSE THEY ARE ENTERED BY SOMEONE ELSE (FSS?). MULTIPLE PROBS: 1) ARTCC COMPUTERS DON'T HAVE THE PWR OF 700 DOLLAR GPS UNITS AND CAN'T HAVE ALL FIXES ADAPTED. RIDICULOUS. 2) SHOULD SAY 'FRC' IN REMARKS, SO ATC AND PLT BOTH ARE SURE ABOUT FLT PLAN. 3) ANY REMARKS ADDED TO FLT PLAN SHOULD BE TOLD AND EXPLAINED TO PLT.
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.