B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human-Machine Interface; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure; Equipment / Tooling; Aircraft
[I] accepted a RADAR hand off from IND ATCT on a B737 west of the route track of the DAWNN Departure Procedure (DP). The aircraft checked on the frequency and was climbed to FL230 on initial contact. Aircraft was observed flying through the VHP radial that makes up the DP. The aircraft was issued direct DAWNN Intersection to avoid R3401 airspace which was active at the time. After questioning the pilot; it was determined that the aircraft was issued a heading to join the DP on the VHP radial. The aircraft's FMS equipment; however; showed the pilots that it would not intercept the procedure until southeast of IIU (a distance of approximately 60 miles). Had the aircraft stayed on the issued heading; it would have violated R3401 airspace.There are a couple of things that would seem appropriate for this issue. 1) There seems to be an issue with some FMS software and this particular departure procedure. While some aircraft display the VHP radial to DAWNN Intersection and are able to join the procedure where expected; others report that the radial is 'X'd out' or otherwise not depicted. This leads the pilot to believe that he/she will join the procedure at a much different point than the controller expects/needs them to. We have experienced this issue with several air carriers. 2) The procedures (both internal within ZID and external with IND) used for this departure needs to be changed to allow the IND ATCT or ZID-SHB Controller to issue the aircraft direct DAWNN without the requirement of putting that routing in the HOST. A feature within URET makes putting that particular amendment in the machine problematic. When done; quite often the aircraft's route of flight is changed within URET to show the aircraft proceeding to DAWNN; but then going back to VHP before returning to DAWNN and then the rest of its flight plan.
ZID Controller described a potential Restricted Airspace incursion when a IND departure; assigned a heading to intercept the DAWNN5 SID; was heading toward the R3401. The reporter was alleging a FMS software issue with several air carriers utilizing this SID; as well as problematic ATC equipment when route modifications are entered.