TEC route database updates?

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uncertifiedpilot
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TEC route database updates?

Post by uncertifiedpilot »

Hello,

Yesterday I filed the PSPN18 TEC route to fly from PSP to SNA (derived from the FAA database, ForeFlight, myflightroute). However, the controller assigned me the N8A TEC route instead. I asked the controller about this and was told (halfway during the flight) that the PSPN18 is quite new (May 2018) and thus not part of PE's protocol yet.

How incidental is this issue? Or, how many times do TEC routes change? Do we need to consider TEC changes as PE pilots before filing? And if we file a TEC route that PE does not yet recognize, could we let ATC know about the newer TEC route so we can still fly it?

Issue arises:
https://youtu.be/dSZE4c0pztU?t=1h13m30s

Controller resolves TEC issue:
https://youtu.be/dSZE4c0pztU?t=2h37m9s

Thanks,
Tim
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kullery
Posts: 398
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 3:13 am
Location: Medina, OH

Re: TEC route database updates?

Post by kullery »

Hey Tim,

I need to take the blame on this one. I typically notify the PE operations team of TEC route changes when they occur. This one initially slipped by me in the May release but I made the update in MFR about a week after the May release. However, I failed to notify the ops team at PE when the May changes were detected.

TEC route changes are sporadic. They might go for years without changes and then suddenly a revision shows up. They used to highlight revisions in the A/FD with a mark in the margin for new and changed routes. That made it much easier to detect changes however that practice stopped a few years ago. It’s now a very tedious process of manualy reviewing the routes for changes. The only reliable source is the printed A/FD, there is not a reliable FAA provided data feed suitable for automating this process.
Ken Ullery - PPL-SEL, 1G5
jx_
Posts: 526
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 12:15 am

Re: TEC route database updates?

Post by jx_ »

Hey Tim,

I was the one you talked to.

All of our info is kept up-to-day on the FAA 28 day cycle plus all the addendum and memos that come out randomly. Pilotedge staff have a really efficient system in place where the info that is relevant gets distributed to controllers (and trained when necessary), however, mistakes, omissions, and oversights do occasionally happen. When that does happen, as it did during your flight, all of the controllers have 1) a way to verify what's current if the pilot requests clarification 2) a way to report the discrepancy for investigation, clarification, and if necessary correction. I was able to find the answer once I got my break (when the other controller came on).

Turns out this was an omission and will be corrected soon...may even already be...thanks for the feedback on it! We missed that change.

To answer your other questions, no they don't change often. The old routing is decades old. The new routing was not a published TEC route but has been in use just as long as an internal ATC offload. Now that almost all the ONT departures are climb via SID, the controller near PDZ is not as busy and SoCal feels they can give the V388 shortcut officially. :) If it works it won't change for a few more decades...if not, there will be a new TEC next month!

No don't worry about looking for it. If you have a mismatch, inform the controller of your suspicion and then go from there just like we did yesterday. The controller may not give you the routing you want, but rest assured it will be fine. ATC are trained to fail "safe". If you NEED to fly a specific route say so and you WILL get it.

And again, the chances of that kind of mismatch are slim to none. The IFR routes are proactively maintained on our end.


Lastly, I've seen you on doing VFR for a while now --- congrats on your first IFR flight, great job.
jx_
Posts: 526
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 12:15 am

Re: TEC route database updates?

Post by jx_ »

@Ken,

No Ken it was my fault. I saw this route last month and didn't investigate. I thought I was seeing an Empire to Coast route...forgetting that PSP airports are part of Empire.
uncertifiedpilot
Posts: 93
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2015 4:50 am
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Re: TEC route database updates?

Post by uncertifiedpilot »

Thanks guys, for your swift replies. Understood.

Thanks jx :) Marcus was my first VFR controller. I'm glad you were my first IFR controller. Keep up the good work!
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