ASAP Report Outcomes

Karee

Karee

Marginal Member
For those of you who work or have worked as dispatchers, apart from missing destination alternates, what are some reasons you’ve filed an ASAP (Aviation Safety Action Program) report? What was the outcome?

I’ll start: I filed an ASAP once after discovering that the company’s winds aloft data had not been updated for weeks and my planning was based on that data. I wasn’t responsible for this, of course, but the program is a good way to point out deficiencies regardless of whether they’re as a result of your actions or not.
 
There are many different reasons to fill out ASAP's.

I'm part of the ASAP team at my airline and any report that that is filled out is discussed no matter how big or small the issue is.

I know many dispatchers are afraid to fill them out but it really is in our best interest to fill them out. It's a way to identify problems in the dispatch world that can apply to all airlines.

If anyone has any questions on them feel free to send me a PM
 
ASAP is one of our tools in SMS as Hazard Identifiers. If you observe something that is a potential safety issue an ASAP is a great way of communicating that problem to the appropriate people in flight safety and the FAA.
 
MT said:
ASAP is one of our tools in SMS as Hazard Identifiers. If you observe something that is a potential safety issue an ASAP is a great way of communicating that problem to the appropriate people in flight safety and the FAA.
Click to expand...

Thanks. But do you have an answer for the question I asked?
 
seagull22 said:
There are many different reasons to fill out ASAP's.

I'm part of the ASAP team at my airline and any report that that is filled out is discussed no matter how big or small the issue is.

I know many dispatchers are afraid to fill them out but it really is in our best interest to fill them out. It's a way to identify problems in the dispatch world that can apply to all airlines.

If anyone has any questions on them feel free to send me a PM
Click to expand...

Thanks. So, what were some reasons you personally filed ASAP and what was the outcome?
 
I know of some people that filed ASAPs for using an illegal reroute with a VOR out of service .

Also if you have MELs that almost never come up, take a hard look at your performance charts because things aren’t always as they seem... example - AutoCoarsen Inoperative.
 
Just curious to the OP - what flight planning system are you using? Of the 5 I have worked with (Navtech, Sabre FPM, LIDO, Pheonix/HP/EDS, Sabre FWZ), the program has ways to inform you if your wind data is out of date.

Your company should have self disclosed to cover all of your dispatchers.

Also, in all of that time not a single flight reported a wind busts or over burning?
 
F9DXER said:
Just curious to the OP - what flight planning system are you using? Of the 5 I have worked with (Navtech, Sabre FPM, LIDO, Pheonix/HP/EDS, Sabre FWZ), the program has ways to inform you if your wind data is out of date.

Your company should have self disclosed to cover all of your dispatchers.

Also, in all of that time not a single flight reported a wind busts or over burning?
Click to expand...

I recall Saber uploads wind data every few hours. I don’t recall getting an error unless I’m trying to do something really weird with altitudes.
 
Karee said:
Thanks. But do you have an answer for the question I asked?
Click to expand...

That’s a touch on the rude side. My response was directed to the post above me where they said dispatchers try to shy away from filling them out. I was stating that they are a vital part of our role in SMS and not just the “get out of jail free” card that most of us associate ASAP reports as.

I have filed ASAPs in the past where I noticed a systematic problem with the way business was being conducted that could and did lead to less safe decisions being made by dispatchers. Once it got into SMS, the issue was addressed and stopped.
 
Here's a true story from Generic Regional Airlines located in Somewhere, USA:

A couple years ago, there was a software issue which caused NOTAMs for JFK and LGA to not generate in the release packet. Despite reporting it to the systems manager, the dispatchers got a generic "We are aware of the situation and working toward a solution" response and that was it. Many months went by without any progress on the issue, leading many dispatchers to email the missing NOTAMs to the captains' company email addresses to keep it legal(ish). Finally, one of the dispatchers filled out an ASAP regarding the issue. Within a week, it was fixed.

One of the benefits of ASAPs is that they force both management and the FAA to look at the issue and do something about it. I know of a few other instances where ASAPs have been filed to light a fire under management to fix something. Usually it works, especially with the FAA involved. Some may call it unethical, but if it's in the interest of safety, I don't really see how it could be.
 
mrezee said:
Here's a true story from Generic Regional Airlines located in Somewhere, USA:

A couple years ago, there was a software issue which caused NOTAMs for JFK and LGA to not generate in the release packet. Despite reporting it to the systems manager, the dispatchers got a generic "We are aware of the situation and working toward a solution" response and that was it. Many months went by without any progress on the issue, leading many dispatchers to email the missing NOTAMs to the captains' company email addresses to keep it legal(ish). Finally, one of the dispatchers filled out an ASAP regarding the issue. Within a week, it was fixed.

One of the benefits of ASAPs is that they force both management and the FAA to look at the issue and do something about it. I know of a few other instances where ASAPs have been filed to light a fire under management to fix something. Usually it works, especially with the FAA involved. Some may call it unethical, but if it's in the interest of safety, I don't really see how it could be.
Click to expand...
I know of a similar way they were used to force action on the part of the company. Story goes like this... another U.S. regional that didn't feel a need to staff Saturday afternoons. Afternoon shift would come in and each dispatcher had to accept pass downs from 2 desks. Well, a dispatcher got slammed and never checked to make sure flights were moved from the closed desk. Flights operated without an ounce of flight following. ASAP filed. Issue fixed by the next Saturday. This was after months of dispatch begging for additional bodies.
 
mrezee said:
Here's a true story from Generic Regional Airlines located in Somewhere, USA:

A couple years ago, there was a software issue which caused NOTAMs for JFK and LGA to not generate in the release packet. Despite reporting it to the systems manager, the dispatchers got a generic "We are aware of the situation and working toward a solution" response and that was it. Many months went by without any progress on the issue, leading many dispatchers to email the missing NOTAMs to the captains' company email addresses to keep it legal(ish). Finally, one of the dispatchers filled out an ASAP regarding the issue. Within a week, it was fixed.

One of the benefits of ASAPs is that they force both management and the FAA to look at the issue and do something about it. I know of a few other instances where ASAPs have been filed to light a fire under management to fix something. Usually it works, especially with the FAA involved. Some may call it unethical, but if it's in the interest of safety, I don't really see how it could be.
Click to expand...

See no problem with it. Sometimes people need a push.
 
Karee said:
For those of you who work or have worked as dispatchers, apart from missing destination alternates, what are some reasons you’ve filed an ASAP (Aviation Safety Action Program) report? What was the outcome?

I’ll start: I filed an ASAP once after discovering that the company’s winds aloft data had not been updated for weeks and my planning was based on that data. I wasn’t responsible for this, of course, but the program is a good way to point out deficiencies regardless of whether they’re as a result of your actions or not.
Click to expand...

Karee- since you've shown interest in ASAP, I just want to let you know that there's a biannual safety conference called "InfoShare" that just discusses this very topic. Not sure where you work, nor am I asking, but if you're at a 121, I implore you to ping your safety folks about it.
 
I worked for an airline that would add MELs after departure. Their excuse was they had to wait until they got the log page to enter it into the system. They were repeatedly asked to stop doing it. Internal safety reports wouldn't solve the problem, finally an ASAP did.
 
fuelfool said:
I worked for an airline that would add MELs after departure. Their excuse was they had to wait until they got the log page to enter it into the system. They were repeatedly asked to stop doing it. Internal safety reports wouldn't solve the problem, finally an ASAP did.
Click to expand...

Wut‽‽‽
 
fuelfool said:
I worked for an airline that would add MELs after departure. Their excuse was they had to wait until they got the log page to enter it into the system. They were repeatedly asked to stop doing it. Internal safety reports wouldn't solve the problem, finally an ASAP did.
Click to expand...
Say what now? So performance and operational restrictions weren’t accounted for?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top