Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Workload; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
General None Reported / Taken
Weather; Human Factors; Company Policy
I am concerned because the dispatch releases are built hours before our flight and the WX can change. It seems at the time the Flight Release was built it did not require an alternate and none was listed. When we pulled the release with the current WX it did require an alternate. The dispatcher and I did not notice the need for an alternate which concerns me. We are trying to check everyone's job--maintenance etc... and our own job of flying the airplane safely. Distractions can certainly cause us to miss what someone else is supposed to have done. In flight I checked the alternate WX and requested an alternate. We had enough fuel for the SBN alternate per our FMS data. However; a major concern for me was that when I requested performance data--fuel burn etc.--from ORD to SBN the flight plan software 'locked up' (dispatcher's words) and was not able to provide us the data.I initially looked at the release and saw there was not an alternate listed. We as the flight crew got distracted with looking at MEL/CDL's to make sure they were correct. We had to do an air start and missed the fact that with the current TAF we needed an alternate for our destination. I noticed in cruise after rechecking the WX that we required an alternate. I checked the WX for MKE and SBN. I then sent an ACARS to dispatch to add the ALT of SBN. Per my FMS I met the ALT FUEL requirements.Let all the Pilots know that the release may not be correct for ALT WX because they are built (hours) before the flight. However; when the release is pulled it has the latest WX. Check the release for correct Landing and Alternate Minimums. What concerns me is that we have to do everyone's job again. The dispatcher should be monitoring the WX to make the appropriate changes to the Release before we as pilots have to. My other major concern is that flight planning software was not able to get flight performance data for the ALT...This issue needs to be addressed immediately.
The Captain; while enroute to ORD; discovered that he had departed without a required alternate airport. Dispatch was unable to provide him with additional required information.