ACR FLT DISPATCH DEPT ALLOWED 11 FLTS TO DEPART WITH ILLEGAL AND MISSING WX INFO PROVIDED BY A CONTRACT WX SVC PROVIDER.

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ON APR/TUE/02; 10 FLTS FOR ACR DEPARTED FOR DEST WITH INVALID WX METARS ON THE FLTS' WX BRIEFING. AT APPROX XA00Z; CPR CONTRACTED WX SVC PROVIDER'S MAIN COMPUTER SERVER MALFUNCTIONED AND FAILED TO XMIT CURRENT HRLY METARS TO ACR FLT CTL DEPT. THIS MALFUNCTION WENT UNNOTICED FOR APPROX 4 HRS DUE TO EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD; OPERATIONAL DIFFICULTIES AND UNDERSTAFFING OF DISPATCHERS IN FLT CTL DEPT. IT IS MY BELIEF THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS EVENT IS NOT ONLY THE MALFUNCTION OF THE WSI COMPUTER; BUT ALSO THE REALITY OF EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD; MINIMAL SUPPORT FOR THE DISPATCHER GROUP; INFERIOR COMPUTER EQUIP; AND INEXPERIENCE; UNDER TRAINED PERSONNEL ALL LED TO THESE EVENTS. THE FAA AND GOV SAFETY DEPTS SHOULD ESTABLISH AN ACCEPTABLE NUMBER OF FLTS THAT 1 DISPATCHER CAN MAINTAIN OPERATIONAL CTL OVER; AND THE AMOUNT OF ATTN THAT NEEDS TO BE GIVEN TO EACH FLT. THIS CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED BY SOME KIND OF FAA OVERSIGHT; BECAUSE THE AIRLINES ARE UNWILLING TO ESTABLISH THIS DUE TO LOW REVENUE; BUDGET CONSTRAINTS; ETC.