Dispatch Dispatcher
Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Company Policy; Equipment / Tooling
It is almost a daily thing. We lose computers. Today we lost communications; plotting; and ACARS all at the same time (losing all three is a daily event). Today I was talking to a flight that couldn't get landing data and was asking for my help. Today's malfunction came in the middle of this conversation.  We were told by the company to exit all computer related systems while IT worked on computers until further notice.  Earlier today; in an unrelated event; I received an ACARS message that I should have gotten hours earlier. In this case; I got a message about a takeoff delay. I received it after the aircraft was already in the gate at its destination. Not being able to talk to a plane in mid conversation while the system is down is kinda big. They are expecting me [to be available] on this one means of communication.
A Dispatcher related concern regarding routine and frequent computer related outages primarily related to communications with the flights for which he is responsible.