A B757-200 dispatcher, using his company's approved software, was unable to come up with the same fl...

Attributes
ACN	587651
Time
Date	200307
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

While planning a flight from las-ord, filed las.AACES2.dvc.J146.gld.J192.pwe..irk.BDF3.ord. Captain received an ATC reroute after pushback of las.AACES2.bce.J100.ekr..bff.J94.dbq..jvl..ord. I tried to run flight plan using company software by running a route over bff only, but not ignoring departure/arrival. The software built las.AACCES2.J100.ekr.J116.FAF.J94.dbq..jvl..ord. I then tried to build it ignoring departure/arrival and entering route bce.J100.ekr..bff.J94.jvl. The software produced las.AACES2.bce.J100.ekr.J116.fqf..bff.J94.dbq..jvl..ord. I then attempted to run it a third time, entering route and software still produced las.AACES2.bce.J100.ekr.J116.fqf..bff.J94.dbq..jvl..ord. I eventually had to run a forward flight plan which does not check driftdown. This has a major impact on both safety and dispatcher workload, which could lead to further safety issues. Dispatcher has only 2 options. Use the forward flight planning system and check driftdown manually, or have the fic build a route, both of which are time consuming and can cause lengthy unneeded delays. In this instance, aircraft was very light and I could quickly verify driftdown. I also had the crew check driftdown numbers. Current flight planning is extremely inefficient and potentially unsafe.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 DISPATCHER, USING HIS COMPANY'S APPROVED SOFTWARE, WAS UNABLE TO COME UP WITH THE SAME FLT PLAN THAT WAS ISSUED BY LAS CLRNC DELIVERY.

Narrative: WHILE PLANNING A FLT FROM LAS-ORD, FILED LAS.AACES2.DVC.J146.GLD.J192.PWE..IRK.BDF3.ORD. CAPT RECEIVED AN ATC REROUTE AFTER PUSHBACK OF LAS.AACES2.BCE.J100.EKR..BFF.J94.DBQ..JVL..ORD. I TRIED TO RUN FLT PLAN USING COMPANY SOFTWARE BY RUNNING A RTE OVER BFF ONLY, BUT NOT IGNORING DEP/ARR. THE SOFTWARE BUILT LAS.AACCES2.J100.EKR.J116.FAF.J94.DBQ..JVL..ORD. I THEN TRIED TO BUILD IT IGNORING DEP/ARR AND ENTERING RTE BCE.J100.EKR..BFF.J94.JVL. THE SOFTWARE PRODUCED LAS.AACES2.BCE.J100.EKR.J116.FQF..BFF.J94.DBQ..JVL..ORD. I THEN ATTEMPTED TO RUN IT A THIRD TIME, ENTERING RTE AND SOFTWARE STILL PRODUCED LAS.AACES2.BCE.J100.EKR.J116.FQF..BFF.J94.DBQ..JVL..ORD. I EVENTUALLY HAD TO RUN A FORWARD FLT PLAN WHICH DOES NOT CHK DRIFTDOWN. THIS HAS A MAJOR IMPACT ON BOTH SAFETY AND DISPATCHER WORKLOAD, WHICH COULD LEAD TO FURTHER SAFETY ISSUES. DISPATCHER HAS ONLY 2 OPTIONS. USE THE FORWARD FLT PLANNING SYS AND CHK DRIFTDOWN MANUALLY, OR HAVE THE FIC BUILD A RTE, BOTH OF WHICH ARE TIME CONSUMING AND CAN CAUSE LENGTHY UNNEEDED DELAYS. IN THIS INSTANCE, ACFT WAS VERY LIGHT AND I COULD QUICKLY VERIFY DRIFTDOWN. I ALSO HAD THE CREW CHK DRIFTDOWN NUMBERS. CURRENT FLT PLANNING IS EXTREMELY INEFFICIENT AND POTENTIALLY UNSAFE.

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.

A B757-200 dispatcher, using his company's approved software, was unable to come up with the same flight plan that was issued by las clearance delivery.