A320 flight crew is dispatched with incorrect equipment suffix.

Attributes
ACN	723909
Time
Date	200701
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
ASRS Report	723909
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : dispatcher
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

It was totally an oversight on my part. Once I realized this I read the suffixes chart and I discussed this with another dispatcher. We were both a bit confused since I had changed the 1 suffix. I was unclr as to the proper application. I dispatched this flight with MEL XXX navigation database and I did not change the equipment suffix. Avionics should be sdw and I left it as sdrw. I did make it a J for rvsm; but did not follow through with the other portion. The down-line dispatcher asked me a question about the suffix once he read the MEL. We concurred that I had only half applied the MEL. I went into the ATC database and corrected it. The down-line dispatcher flight was planned correctly. Better process in place for handling MEL's that require ATC suffix change. We have a chart; but it can be confusing and the MEL doesn't give much guidance either.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW IS DISPATCHED WITH INCORRECT EQUIP SUFFIX.

Narrative: IT WAS TOTALLY AN OVERSIGHT ON MY PART. ONCE I REALIZED THIS I READ THE SUFFIXES CHART AND I DISCUSSED THIS WITH ANOTHER DISPATCHER. WE WERE BOTH A BIT CONFUSED SINCE I HAD CHANGED THE 1 SUFFIX. I WAS UNCLR AS TO THE PROPER APPLICATION. I DISPATCHED THIS FLT WITH MEL XXX NAV DATABASE AND I DID NOT CHANGE THE EQUIP SUFFIX. AVIONICS SHOULD BE SDW AND I LEFT IT AS SDRW. I DID MAKE IT A J FOR RVSM; BUT DID NOT FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE OTHER PORTION. THE DOWN-LINE DISPATCHER ASKED ME A QUESTION ABOUT THE SUFFIX ONCE HE READ THE MEL. WE CONCURRED THAT I HAD ONLY HALF APPLIED THE MEL. I WENT INTO THE ATC DATABASE AND CORRECTED IT. THE DOWN-LINE DISPATCHER FLT WAS PLANNED CORRECTLY. BETTER PROCESS IN PLACE FOR HANDLING MEL'S THAT REQUIRE ATC SUFFIX CHANGE. WE HAVE A CHART; BUT IT CAN BE CONFUSING AND THE MEL DOESN'T GIVE MUCH GUIDANCE EITHER.

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.