Narrative:

On apr/xa/06; the atop/ocean 21 controller attempted to take coordination on a C130; en route from barbers point; hi; to north island; wa; from the hnl controller. When attempting to insert the aircraft's altitude; the controller received a cpar failure message and had to delete the flight plan and re-input another one. This did not work as the new flight plan was unable to be probed (for separation); as well. After several attempts by the controller to get a probed flight plan; it was discovered if a higher altitude (incorrect altitude) was used; a flight plan would be accepted by atop/ocean 21. It is my understanding that this is a recurring situation and includes all altitudes below FL280. Supplemental information from acn 695541: data blocks/aps symbols on ads aircraft on the main display (asd) were mysteriously moving approximately 500 mi for no apparent reason. It was later discovered that this was due to erroneous ads reports which atop/ocean 21 processed; and moved the data blocks/aps symbols on its own. I was briefed that; although the data blocks/aps symbols are erratically jumping 500 mi or more; the correct profile of the aircraft is still being protected. Sita processing old messages and then sending them to the system in minute format seems to be reason that these drastic jumps are occurring. It is my understanding that there will be a new 'hot sheet' displayed in the oceanic area at ZOA; which states that when this happens in the future; the controller working the aircraft which has the drastic jump; must 'demand' the aircraft in question; in order to get the data block/aps symbol back in the correct location on the map. Sita outages/problems are a recurring unsatisfactory condition in the ocean; and although a hot sheet brings awareness of why this may be occurring; and provides oceanic controllers the information to get the data block/aps symbol back to its correct position; it does not prevent the data block/aps from jumping 500 mi or more.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OCEANIC ARTCC HAS A COMPUTER PROB WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW CORRECT POSITIONING OF THE ACFT AT ALT BELOW FL280.

Narrative: ON APR/XA/06; THE ATOP/OCEAN 21 CTLR ATTEMPTED TO TAKE COORD ON A C130; ENRTE FROM BARBERS POINT; HI; TO NORTH ISLAND; WA; FROM THE HNL CTLR. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO INSERT THE ACFT'S ALT; THE CTLR RECEIVED A CPAR FAILURE MESSAGE AND HAD TO DELETE THE FLT PLAN AND RE-INPUT ANOTHER ONE. THIS DID NOT WORK AS THE NEW FLT PLAN WAS UNABLE TO BE PROBED (FOR SEPARATION); AS WELL. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BY THE CTLR TO GET A PROBED FLT PLAN; IT WAS DISCOVERED IF A HIGHER ALT (INCORRECT ALT) WAS USED; A FLT PLAN WOULD BE ACCEPTED BY ATOP/OCEAN 21. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A RECURRING SITUATION AND INCLUDES ALL ALTS BELOW FL280. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 695541: DATA BLOCKS/APS SYMBOLS ON ADS ACFT ON THE MAIN DISPLAY (ASD) WERE MYSTERIOUSLY MOVING APPROX 500 MI FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THAT THIS WAS DUE TO ERRONEOUS ADS RPTS WHICH ATOP/OCEAN 21 PROCESSED; AND MOVED THE DATA BLOCKS/APS SYMBOLS ON ITS OWN. I WAS BRIEFED THAT; ALTHOUGH THE DATA BLOCKS/APS SYMBOLS ARE ERRATICALLY JUMPING 500 MI OR MORE; THE CORRECT PROFILE OF THE ACFT IS STILL BEING PROTECTED. SITA PROCESSING OLD MESSAGES AND THEN SENDING THEM TO THE SYS IN MINUTE FORMAT SEEMS TO BE REASON THAT THESE DRASTIC JUMPS ARE OCCURRING. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WILL BE A NEW 'HOT SHEET' DISPLAYED IN THE OCEANIC AREA AT ZOA; WHICH STATES THAT WHEN THIS HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE; THE CTLR WORKING THE ACFT WHICH HAS THE DRASTIC JUMP; MUST 'DEMAND' THE ACFT IN QUESTION; IN ORDER TO GET THE DATA BLOCK/APS SYMBOL BACK IN THE CORRECT LOCATION ON THE MAP. SITA OUTAGES/PROBS ARE A RECURRING UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION IN THE OCEAN; AND ALTHOUGH A HOT SHEET BRINGS AWARENESS OF WHY THIS MAY BE OCCURRING; AND PROVIDES OCEANIC CTLRS THE INFO TO GET THE DATA BLOCK/APS SYMBOL BACK TO ITS CORRECT POS; IT DOES NOT PREVENT THE DATA BLOCK/APS FROM JUMPING 500 MI OR MORE.

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.