FLT PLAN FILED FOR OVERWATER OP WHEN ACFT EQUIP REQUIRED FOR OP NOT ON BOARD.

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THE AIRLINE IS MODIFYING NON-OVERWATER ACFT WITH LIFE VESTS SO THAT THEY CAN OPERATE THE J58 OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO. WHEN THE MODIFICATION IS COMPLETED; AN ENTRY IS MADE IN THE ACFT MAINT RECORD IN THE COMPUTER. THIS NOTIFIES THE FLT PLANNING SYS THAT THE ACFT CAN BE ROUTED OVER J58. (OTHERWISE; THE AIRWAY IS AUTOMATICALLY BLOCKED). ON A FLT FROM DFW TO TPA; ONE OF THESE ACFT WAS ROUTED OVER J58. NEAR NEW ORLEANS THE FLT CONTACTED ME AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY COULD FLY OVER THE GULF. I RECHKED THE ACFT MAINT RECORD AND VERIFIED THAT THE MODIFICATION HAD BEEN DONE. THE CREW THEN PHYSICALLY CHKED AND DISCOVERED THAT NO LIFE VESTS WERE ABOARD. THE CAPT REFILED OVER A LAND RTE TO TAMPA. WHEN THE FLT LANDED THE CAPT HAD A MECH VERIFY THAT NO VESTS WERE ABOARD. FORTUNATELY; THE FLT HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL TO FLY THE OVERLAND RTE AND THE WX WAS NOT A FACTOR. THE 2 BIGGEST PROBS WERE THAT MAINT EITHER PERFORMED THE MODIFICATION INCORRECTLY OR THE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR ENTERING THE DATA MADE A MISTAKE. SECONDLY; I BELIEVE THE CREW SHOULD HAVE DETERMINED IF VESTS WERE ABOARD PRIOR TO NEARING THE COAST; IF THEY WERE NOT SURE ABOUT THEIR PRESENCE. THE COMPANY IS NOW VERIFYING MODIFICATION PROCS AND CHKING ACFT ALREADY MODIFIED.