A319
Dispatch Dispatcher
Time Pressure; Workload; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Procedure
Flight to MDPC received a reroute from ATC and accepted it 15 min after departure.Pilot ACARS and asked if they need a new release due to the flight was now under 100 NM than previous and class 2 question I replied 'no need I believe that's all pre-departure on class 2...I'll ask just don't go into the WATRS (Western Atlantic Route System) NY area but give me route and I can verify winds are not an issue and you can uplift DM.'I was extremely busy at time and saw that a route was sent back but did not take time to rebuild release not thinking it was in WATRS; just knowing it was less than previous flight plan mileage did not make it a priority; due to sick call I had over 20 flights in the air and several over 12 within the hour to build up. Task saturation was in play. Co-dispatcher received a call from ATC asking if we had HF frequency on our MDPC flight and why we would let our flight into the ZNY oceanic WATRS without it and was contacting flight by bouncing off other aircraft to give our flight routing guidance. I immediately told supervisor and tried to contact crew but could not and they responded by saying HF radio was required. I contacted ATC procedures and they said they were successful in rerouting aircraft back towards the coast and the would be back into radar coverage in about 30 more min via SUMRS (ATC WATRS boundary) direct NUCAR then as previously filed. Once aircraft was closer to boundary they told me the same routing.1) I think better training is needed on both the Dispatch side and the pilot side on accepted and not accepting routes over WATRS. 2) See if we can give ATC a notice that we cannot accept these routes that require a HF radio and or put remarks in the ATC filing strip that we are not HF radio capable (these type of situations have come up before where pilot wondering why they cannot accept these routes especially over AZEZU the key fix dispatchers are self-trained to look for.3) Put a crew mail on all flights on Midwest and Northeast to flight and or MDPC that we cannot accept these routes.4) Change the confusing FOM language; it says that we are authorized to conduct RNP-10 operations over the Gulf of Mexico; WATRS; WATRS plus; Miami Oceanic and the San Juan CTA/FIR.
I was on a scheduled deadhead to MDPC for the purpose of acting as a crewmember on the returning flight. While enroute; I was requested to speak with the Captain of the flight from the rear galley interphone. Upon speaking with the Captain; whom I am familiar with and have flown with on prior trips; I learned that we were on routing that would take us farther east of our normal flight path that I am familiar with. I then advised that the crew contact the previous controller and ask for a new clearance on a route that would take us closer to shore. The Captain and I agreed and then we hung up the interphone. Approximately 20-30 minutes later; I called back to see if anything had been resolved. I was told that they were unable to reach the previous controller and they were relaying communications through another flight. I hung up the interphone once again and a few minutes later; the Captain requested that I enter the flight deck to provide a second opinion as well as to provide situational awareness. Upon entering the flight deck; we worked as a crew to establish a clearance back to an airway that we normally fly for use on the route. Once we received our clearance and reestablished communications with a Center Controller; I returned to the aircraft cabin without further incident. A company memo or training module that outlines operations along the East Coast and differences in airspace and equipment requirements of overwater operations and routes that require HF radios.
Air carrier flight crew and a dispatcher describe a flight to MDPC that is rerouted over the WATRS area by ATC. The crew accepts the clearance before realizing a HF radio is required to fly this route. Significant time is required to get the flight routed back into VHF range.