Problem reporting
The NM datalink team is using a dedicated tool, the Datalink Issue Management Tool (DIMT), to manage problem reporting, investigation and resolution of the problem. It is clarified that the DIMT is the new name of the previous CRO Issue Management Tool, used by the NM Central Reporting Office (CRO), the predecessor of the current NM datalink team.
There are two levels of problem reporting and investigation; a local level managed by a particular stakeholder (e.g. ANSP, ACSP, airline, avionics supplier etc.) and a central level managed by the NM datalink team. Whether any particular stakeholder decides to offer a local problem reporting and investigation service is a matter for them to decide and if they do decide to offer such as service, how that service operates is also a matter for them to decide. However in order to maintain an overview of the status of the entire system it would be useful if all problems found and their resolutions were recorded in the tool, even if those problems have been reported and resolved at the local level.
The DIMT allows:
- Problems that are reported and resolved locally to be recorded centrally for awareness of the solution .
- Problems that are reported locally but which cannot be resolved locally to be passed on to the NM datalink team or other stakeholder for resolution and record centrally the resolution process. This may be the case due to multiple reasons, for example because the problem involves the interaction of several parts of the overall system.
Access to the problem reporting tool is restricted to registered users.
What sort of problems should be reported?
The problem reporting procedure is intended to be used to record any kind of problem experienced in the implementation and usage of the data link services in Europe. For example it should be used to report problems relating to:
- The operational use of datalink services (DLIC, ACM, ACL and AMC)
- The use of ATN
- The accommodation of FANS 1/A aircraft
- The use of VDL Mode 2
- Any specific piece of technical equipment.
How to report a problem
A guide for how to use the Datalink Issue management Tool is provided on this wiki and a short video demonstrating how to access and use the tool is also available.
For specific problems relating to datalink connectivity problems the NM datalink team has developed a a template of questions for operators/crews to answer when reporting such problems to facilitate investigations.
Operators wishing to report a connectivity problem are kindly invited to answer all questions in the template for which there is information, in order to help target and expedite the investigation/analysis. You can access the questions by clicking in this link.
Before answering the questions operators are asked to read the notes below as these address recurrent connectivity issues with an easy answer / resolution.
Note 1: Logon in airspace of Germany (EDUU), Switzerland (LSAG, LSAZ) and MUAC (EDYY) is only possible if a/c is registered in the Logon List. Logon list is managed by the ECTL datalink team on behalf of the ANSPs enforcing the Logon List. For further information please see: https://ext.eurocontrol.int/WikiLink/index.php/Logon_List
Note 2: A frequent/recurring error preventing connectivity is the difference between the a/c 24 bit address filed in the filed FPL (field 18 /CODE) and the actual/real 24 bit address. When a change of a/c takes place, after the submission of the flight plan, make sure you also update the flight plan, as this is not done, the ground centre will refuse connectivity.