B737-400 flight crew requests latest rnp valid times from dispatch for GPS navigation purposes.

Attributes
ACN	691293
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jnu.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	691293
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

In preflight planning paperwork; I noticed that the rnp valid times were out of date and requested via jnu operations to call dispatch to get the correct times. Dispatch said that they would ACARS the times to us. Instead; he sent us a message stating; 'from dispatch jnu and situation are within limits.' I requested a radio patch to sea dispatch and requested that he send the numbers to us. This seemed to annoy the dispatcher and I explained that we are to 'trust; but verify' and that we would need to see those numbers and times. The next ACARS we received was an update with valid times with a gap of 59 mins during the time that we would be operating from jnu to situation. It appeared that the dispatcher did not check them the first time and merely paid us lip service via the ACARS. I then requested the values for our flight time and was told that 'it would take a while to get the final 2 satellites.' this was completely unacceptable; unprofessional and reckless.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 FLT CREW REQUESTS LATEST RNP VALID TIMES FROM DISPATCH FOR GPS NAV PURPOSES.

Narrative: IN PREFLT PLANNING PAPERWORK; I NOTICED THAT THE RNP VALID TIMES WERE OUT OF DATE AND REQUESTED VIA JNU OPS TO CALL DISPATCH TO GET THE CORRECT TIMES. DISPATCH SAID THAT THEY WOULD ACARS THE TIMES TO US. INSTEAD; HE SENT US A MESSAGE STATING; 'FROM DISPATCH JNU AND SIT ARE WITHIN LIMITS.' I REQUESTED A RADIO PATCH TO SEA DISPATCH AND REQUESTED THAT HE SEND THE NUMBERS TO US. THIS SEEMED TO ANNOY THE DISPATCHER AND I EXPLAINED THAT WE ARE TO 'TRUST; BUT VERIFY' AND THAT WE WOULD NEED TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS AND TIMES. THE NEXT ACARS WE RECEIVED WAS AN UPDATE WITH VALID TIMES WITH A GAP OF 59 MINS DURING THE TIME THAT WE WOULD BE OPERATING FROM JNU TO SIT. IT APPEARED THAT THE DISPATCHER DID NOT CHK THEM THE FIRST TIME AND MERELY PAID US LIP SVC VIA THE ACARS. I THEN REQUESTED THE VALUES FOR OUR FLT TIME AND WAS TOLD THAT 'IT WOULD TAKE A WHILE TO GET THE FINAL 2 SATELLITES.' THIS WAS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE; UNPROFESSIONAL AND RECKLESS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.