CTLR QUESTIONS THE FORMAT USED BY PLTS IN FILING AN IFR FLT PLAN; AND INFO THAT IS INCLUDED ON THE FLT PROGRESS STRIP.
Synopsis
CTLR QUESTIONS THE FORMAT USED BY PLTS IN FILING AN IFR FLT PLAN; AND INFO THAT IS INCLUDED ON THE FLT PROGRESS STRIP.
Narrative
I WAS WORKING AS THE RADAR CTLR AND THIS IS THE THIRD SUCH OCCURRENCE IN THE PAST 3-6 MONTHS. A CGA X ACFT WAS ENRTE TO TEB; AND THE FLT PLAN WAS JHW J70 AVP STW TEB. PREFERRED ROUTING DICTATES THE AVP3 STAR; SO I CLRED THE ACFT 'AFTER AVP; FLY AVP3 ARR TO TEB.' THE PLT RESPONDED; 'ROGER; CLRED AS FILED.' I AGAIN REVIEWED THE FLT PLAN WHICH WAS AVP STW TEB. I INFORMED THE PLT THAT I DID NOT SHOW THE STAR IN HIS FLT PLAN. THE PLT THEN TOLD ME THAT HE FILED AVP STW TEB; AND ADDED THE AVP3 STAR IN THE REMARKS SECTION OF THE FLT PLAN. SINCE HE WAS 'CLRED AS FILED' ORIGINALLY; HE THOUGHT THAT HE WAS CLRED TO FLY THE STAR SINCE IT WAS PART OF THE FLT PLAN. I CANNOT BE CERTAIN WHO IS AT FAULT. OUR FLT PLANS HAVE A REMARKS SECTION IN FIELD 11; AND THE STAR WAS NOT SHOWN ON MY COPY OF THE FLT PLAN. IT COULD BE MANY PEOPLE FROM FSS TO COMPANY DISPATCHERS TO AIR CREW AND YES; EVEN CTLRS; BUT IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. I THINK FLT PLAN INFO SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED IN REMARKS. I DON'T THINK THAT IS WHAT REMARKS WAS CREATED FOR. IT CAN ONLY LEAD TO CONFUSION. IN THIS CASE; THE REQUEST AND THE CLRED RTE WERE SO SIMILAR THAT NOTHING PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. BUT IF WE CONTINUE TO MISUSE THE SYS; THE SYS WILL CATCH UP TO US SOONER OR LATER.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.