Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Total 20000
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors
From the time we loaded the flight plan in until ready for push back; the Dispatcher; had sent us three revisions. [The Dispatcher] offered no specific explanation for all the changes. I cleared the FMS and we told [the Dispatcher] to push the current flight plan to the FMS. (The FMS would not respond to another request for uplink). Only when we got the progress report; did we realize that the 'prog' did not match what was in the FMS. I attempted to uplink another flight plan into route 2. When we got the uplink; it was the same as what we had in route 1 and did not match the 'prog' report. We contacted dispatch via ACARS and told [the Dispatcher] to confirm the latest route filed. We told [Dispatcher] we were still getting the old version. (It turned out the prog report was 'correct'). [The Dispatcher] pushed the correct route to the FMS. We checked it and loaded it to route 1. Approaching the fix; I was to go on break and briefed the Captain on the next way point. It was a left turn direct to AKNOV in Amazonica airspace. I did not feel comfortable about it; even though it was the 'correct' route. I went on break. The Captain later briefed me that he inquired to Bogota about the route. They had no idea we were about to proceed to AKNOV and did not like it. The flying crew contacted dispatch and got approval to fly the flight plan. We do not know where the 'error' occurred. Did ATC not coordinate properly; or did dispatch not get proper foreign clearance for that direct routing to AKNOV? At one point; the Dispatcher said 'Apparently there are canned routes'; as if [the Dispatcher] had no clue that crossing an FIR with no FIR fix; and not on an airway was not well received by Bogota and Amazonica. Perhaps the Dispatcher needs more training? In my hundreds of flights; I have never seen such a direct point to point off airway with no FIR fix. There should be a notation on the prog report and any FMS uplink that identifies the route number and revision. It may be more foolproof than looking for an error by looking at 40 waypoints. Three revisions from sign-in to push back seems extreme. We never got notice of revision 2; by the way. Dispatch should have required direct verbal contact with the Captain.
B777 First Officer reported that the revisions sent to the aircraft resulted in issues with entering another FIR.