A B747-400 on an international flight passes the redispatch point without redispatch message because...

Attributes
ACN	716083
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nfff.artcc
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 34000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : nfff.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 26500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	716083
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

B400 flight to syd was down approximately 8000 pounds from flight plan and redispatch was doubtful; with possible diversion to nan before captain's rest period. During first 1/2 hour of captain's break; dispatch called and wanted to talk to captain. Captain rose; there were at least 10 different 'short' pieces of paper dispatch had sent with different proposed flight plans on them; each piece being about 2 inches in length; some mistakenly with alternates; of different destinations other than nan. Captain talked to dispatch on satphone virtually as we went by the redispatch point discussing options and it was decided to continue to bne because of political unrest in fiji would not be best option for stopping. After some time; a correct redispatch message was received from dispatch for bne with syd as the redispatch alternate (which we finally did end up going to syd after closely monitoring the fuel and assistance from syd operations in expediting arrival to syd).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747-400 ON AN INTL FLT PASSES THE REDISPATCH POINT WITHOUT REDISPATCH MESSAGE BECAUSE THE CAPT AND THE DISPATCHER ARE STILL DISCUSSING OPTIONS.

Narrative: B400 FLT TO SYD WAS DOWN APPROX 8000 LBS FROM FLT PLAN AND REDISPATCH WAS DOUBTFUL; WITH POSSIBLE DIVERSION TO NAN BEFORE CAPT'S REST PERIOD. DURING FIRST 1/2 HR OF CAPT'S BREAK; DISPATCH CALLED AND WANTED TO TALK TO CAPT. CAPT ROSE; THERE WERE AT LEAST 10 DIFFERENT 'SHORT' PIECES OF PAPER DISPATCH HAD SENT WITH DIFFERENT PROPOSED FLT PLANS ON THEM; EACH PIECE BEING ABOUT 2 INCHES IN LENGTH; SOME MISTAKENLY WITH ALTERNATES; OF DIFFERENT DESTS OTHER THAN NAN. CAPT TALKED TO DISPATCH ON SATPHONE VIRTUALLY AS WE WENT BY THE REDISPATCH POINT DISCUSSING OPTIONS AND IT WAS DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO BNE BECAUSE OF POLITICAL UNREST IN FIJI WOULD NOT BE BEST OPTION FOR STOPPING. AFTER SOME TIME; A CORRECT REDISPATCH MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED FROM DISPATCH FOR BNE WITH SYD AS THE REDISPATCH ALTERNATE (WHICH WE FINALLY DID END UP GOING TO SYD AFTER CLOSELY MONITORING THE FUEL AND ASSISTANCE FROM SYD OPS IN EXPEDITING ARR TO SYD).

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.

A B747-400 on an international flight passes the redispatch point without redispatch message because the captain and the dispatcher are still discussing options.