Narrative:

While just west of the gve VOR at FL210 we received a routing change, we were en route to hpn. This routing change was to be one of 4 before I reached the arrival route. None of these changes involved VOR's or arwys we had originally been cleared for as filed. Not only were these clrncs rather complicated and lengthy for the most part, they were low altitude arwys although I was still at FL210. 2 of these routing changes came within approximately 5-8 mins. These 4 routing changes included J150, V16, V29, V4, V139, V229, V479, V214, and the following VOR's: patuxent, sea isle, yardley, salisbury, calverton and dupont, and the following intxns: tappa, donil, diced, ziggi, in addition we were changed from the diced 1 arrival to the ziggi 1, back to the diced 1, and finally back to the ziggi 1 arrival. These arwys, VOR, intxns, are not in order as they are listed. This complicated series of routing changes in a short period of time is asking a bit much of a crew, much less a single IFR pilot. We had no low altitude charts out except the ny area since we expected to fly the jet routes as filed and cleared. Nobody could possibly clear the area while the pilots are frantically looking for maps and ensuring you are not invading someone else's airspace. This flight was unnecessarily complicated by the controllers and created a definite safety of flight problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR FLT CREW COMPLAINT ABOUT FREQUENT ROUTE CHANGES WHILE WORKING WITH ZDC.

Narrative: WHILE JUST W OF THE GVE VOR AT FL210 WE RECEIVED A ROUTING CHANGE, WE WERE ENRTE TO HPN. THIS ROUTING CHANGE WAS TO BE ONE OF 4 BEFORE I REACHED THE ARR RTE. NONE OF THESE CHANGES INVOLVED VOR'S OR ARWYS WE HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN CLRED FOR AS FILED. NOT ONLY WERE THESE CLRNCS RATHER COMPLICATED AND LENGTHY FOR THE MOST PART, THEY WERE LOW ALT ARWYS ALTHOUGH I WAS STILL AT FL210. 2 OF THESE ROUTING CHANGES CAME WITHIN APPROX 5-8 MINS. THESE 4 ROUTING CHANGES INCLUDED J150, V16, V29, V4, V139, V229, V479, V214, AND THE FOLLOWING VOR'S: PATUXENT, SEA ISLE, YARDLEY, SALISBURY, CALVERTON AND DUPONT, AND THE FOLLOWING INTXNS: TAPPA, DONIL, DICED, ZIGGI, IN ADDITION WE WERE CHANGED FROM THE DICED 1 ARR TO THE ZIGGI 1, BACK TO THE DICED 1, AND FINALLY BACK TO THE ZIGGI 1 ARR. THESE ARWYS, VOR, INTXNS, ARE NOT IN ORDER AS THEY ARE LISTED. THIS COMPLICATED SERIES OF ROUTING CHANGES IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IS ASKING A BIT MUCH OF A CREW, MUCH LESS A SINGLE IFR PLT. WE HAD NO LOW ALT CHARTS OUT EXCEPT THE NY AREA SINCE WE EXPECTED TO FLY THE JET ROUTES AS FILED AND CLRED. NOBODY COULD POSSIBLY CLR THE AREA WHILE THE PLTS ARE FRANTICALLY LOOKING FOR MAPS AND ENSURING YOU ARE NOT INVADING SOMEONE ELSE'S AIRSPACE. THIS FLT WAS UNNECESSARILY COMPLICATED BY THE CTLRS AND CREATED A DEFINITE SAFETY OF FLT PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.