A320
Dispatch Dispatcher
Communication Breakdown; Workload; Human-Machine Interface; Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Work Refused
Company Policy; Human Factors; Procedure
At the Captain's request I initiated a three way phone patch with Maintenance Control. My initial radio contact with the flight was very weak but readable so I completed the patch with Maintenance. After Maintenance Control came on line; however; the whole patch failed. I contacted the flight again with the same very weak but readable radio contact; brought Maintenance Control on the line but then couldn't re-raise the flight. The Captain then contacted me via our commercial radio link system and that connection was loud and clear. I requested that they make the patch to Maintenance Control as my phone system appeared not to be working well. They completed the initial patch successfully. However; when Engine Maintenance Control said the flight needed more input from Airframe Maintenance Control and tried to transfer the patch; there was a long silence. I finally asked the Captain if he was still there and he was. However Maintenance Control appeared to have dropped off the patch.At this point the Captain decided he would continue to destination and the patch was terminated. Airframe Maintenance Control then advised he could hear me and the flight on the line but could not join in. While this was all going on I had to ask two other Dispatchers to assist me with my workload. The airport weather forecast had changed to require an alternate so that flights en route had to be advised and I had to add an alternate to flights not yet departed.
Although the reporter provided no more 'incident specific' information she did expand on the generic problems associated with their new communications system; advising that similar breakdowns in 'conference' calling are regular occurrences and that pilot's frequently lose patience with the system and elect to 'go it alone' rather than face the continued distractions and interruptions that fail to resolve themselves. Dispatchers find themselves frequently having to multi-task and cover for one another in terms of completing 'routine' tasks while one or another is involved trying to communicate with a flight in need of assistance.
An air carrier Dispatcher was unable to establish a flight crew/Dispatch/Maintenance Control communication link request from a domestic flight. Ultimately; the Captain gave up the attempt due to the distraction being more of a problem than was the reason for which the patch was requested.