Narrative:

Flight was released with reserves which requires position reports every 90 mins. Flight had satcom failure after entering into polar region and I was no longer receiving position reports from satcom or from gp. I sent request via aftn to yqx radio for update and received no response. I then contacted sfo commercial radio to establish a phone patch and was able to establish communications with the flight after an excessive period of time. Another position report was requested later in the flight via aftn to magadan and commercial radio with no response. Attempt to establish phone patch via sfo commercial radio was unsuccessful. Attempt to communicate directly via phone with magadan was made. Lots of confusion with only russian speaking controllers; then disconnect; then finally someone who spoke basic english. I attempted to communicate my needs for a position report; but to no avail. Asked to verify gdx aftn address and was going to follow up with aftn message when satcom was restored on aircraft and satcom call was received. I was unable to communicate with this flight for close to 3 hours.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER REPORTS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN COM WITH FLT ENROUTE THROUGH MAGADAN AIRSPACE.

Narrative: FLIGHT WAS RELEASED WITH RESERVES WHICH REQUIRES POSITION REPORTS EVERY 90 MINS. FLIGHT HAD SATCOM FAILURE AFTER ENTERING INTO POLAR REGION AND I WAS NO LONGER RECEIVING POSITION REPORTS FROM SATCOM OR FROM GP. I SENT REQUEST VIA AFTN TO YQX RADIO FOR UPDATE AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. I THEN CONTACTED SFO COMMERCIAL RADIO TO ESTABLISH A PHONE PATCH AND WAS ABLE TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE FLIGHT AFTER AN EXCESSIVE PERIOD OF TIME. ANOTHER POSITION REPORT WAS REQUESTED LATER IN THE FLIGHT VIA AFTN TO MAGADAN AND COMMERCIAL RADIO WITH NO RESPONSE. ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH PHONE PATCH VIA SFO COMMERCIAL RADIO WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. ATTEMPT TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY VIA PHONE WITH MAGADAN WAS MADE. LOTS OF CONFUSION WITH ONLY RUSSIAN SPEAKING CONTROLLERS; THEN DISCONNECT; THEN FINALLY SOMEONE WHO SPOKE BASIC ENGLISH. I ATTEMPTED TO COMMUNICATE MY NEEDS FOR A POSITION REPORT; BUT TO NO AVAIL. ASKED TO VERIFY GDX AFTN ADDRESS AND WAS GOING TO FOLLOW UP WITH AFTN MESSAGE WHEN SATCOM WAS RESTORED ON AIRCRAFT AND SATCOM CALL WAS RECEIVED. I WAS UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THIS FLIGHT FOR CLOSE TO 3 HOURS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.