Narrative:

New copilot flying, having a lot of difficulty with the FMC. We had been cleared to cross a point 100 south of boiler at 260 which we did. We were then given a delaying vector for spacing. We were then cleared direct to boiler and told to descend to 240. Copilot was having a difficult time trying to get the right page and right line to program the computer to descend. We did delay our descent to the point where ATC asked us if we had left 260 yet. I feel training methods need to be improved. As I will be faced with a lot of new coplts I plan to change my method of operations to insure that this sort of thing does not happen. I do not believe that ATC controllers understand the operation of computer driven aircraft. We are plagued with late clrncs frequent changes, i.e., told to expect a crossing 20 west of pmm at FL200 320 KTS computer plans a last chance point of descent. Controller then says cross 15 west at 320 FL200 too late to change our program, use speed brakes and a high dive. Also it would be nice if the center used the en route waypoints instead giving us mileage points eg., V84 to obk cross story instead of cross a point 30 east of obk which is not on our LNAV route. These simple changes to procedures would help cut our workload so we could keep our heads out of the cockpit and still use the computer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: START OF DESCENT DELAYED AFTER RECEIPT OF DESCENT CLRNC FROM ATC.

Narrative: NEW COPLT FLYING, HAVING A LOT OF DIFFICULTY WITH THE FMC. WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO CROSS A POINT 100 S OF BOILER AT 260 WHICH WE DID. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A DELAYING VECTOR FOR SPACING. WE WERE THEN CLRED DIRECT TO BOILER AND TOLD TO DSND TO 240. COPLT WAS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME TRYING TO GET THE RIGHT PAGE AND RIGHT LINE TO PROGRAM THE COMPUTER TO DSND. WE DID DELAY OUR DSCNT TO THE POINT WHERE ATC ASKED US IF WE HAD LEFT 260 YET. I FEEL TRAINING METHODS NEED TO BE IMPROVED. AS I WILL BE FACED WITH A LOT OF NEW COPLTS I PLAN TO CHANGE MY METHOD OF OPERATIONS TO INSURE THAT THIS SORT OF THING DOES NOT HAPPEN. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ATC CTLRS UNDERSTAND THE OPERATION OF COMPUTER DRIVEN ACFT. WE ARE PLAGUED WITH LATE CLRNCS FREQUENT CHANGES, I.E., TOLD TO EXPECT A XING 20 W OF PMM AT FL200 320 KTS COMPUTER PLANS A LAST CHANCE POINT OF DSCNT. CTLR THEN SAYS CROSS 15 W AT 320 FL200 TOO LATE TO CHANGE OUR PROGRAM, USE SPEED BRAKES AND A HIGH DIVE. ALSO IT WOULD BE NICE IF THE CENTER USED THE ENRTE WAYPOINTS INSTEAD GIVING US MILEAGE POINTS EG., V84 TO OBK CROSS STORY INSTEAD OF CROSS A POINT 30 E OF OBK WHICH IS NOT ON OUR LNAV ROUTE. THESE SIMPLE CHANGES TO PROCS WOULD HELP CUT OUR WORKLOAD SO WE COULD KEEP OUR HEADS OUT OF THE COCKPIT AND STILL USE THE COMPUTER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.