Dispatch Dispatcher
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Human Factors; Company Policy; Procedure
While doing a self awareness scan of my flight following computer I noticed that one of my flights appeared to have either accepted or requested a direct routing direct to CRAMM Intersection from their present position. At that time it appeared that they could drift outside of 50 NM from the shoreline so I attempted to contact unsuccessfully on ACARS. When I did re-establish communications I asked if they were direct CRAMM and why? They replied 'COMPLIED WITH PREV MESSAGE IN ROUTE TO CRAMM'. When I looked for this 'previous message' in ACARS review I could not find it logged. I finally found the message in [the provider] server stating: **** CREW ADVISORY **** DIRECT-TO ADVISORY FOR [your flight] RECOMMEND REQUEST DIRECT-TO CRAMM FPR. I explained to the crew that this message was not generated by me and that [I was concerned] they may have gone more than 50 NM from the shoreline. They responded: 'IT WAS A ***CREW ALERT* WE CHECKED IT DID NOT TAKE US FARTHER OUT WE JUST WENT DOWN THE COAST'. They further stated: 'THE ONLY INFO COMING INTO MY PLANE SHOULD BE FROM MY DISPATCHER NOT JUNK MAIL.'I got no warning or alert that this message was sent. I simply reacted to the potential issue of the flight going beyond 50 NM from the shoreline in violation of the FARs because this aircraft had no life rafts installed.This 'system' sends recommendations to the aircraft under the guise that the Dispatcher is the one generating the recommendations. These recommendations should go to the Dispatcher first to suggest any amendment to a release. If the Dispatcher concurs with the suggestion he should be the one to uplink them to the flight crew. Further; the system only looks for traffic and winds. What's going to happen when it directs one of my crews to take a shortcut through a line of severe thunderstorms?
A Dispatcher took exception to the unilateral routing recommendations sent by a new 'computer system' to flight crews rather than to the flight Dispatcher for his/her review before transmission at his discretion.