Air carrier pilot supervisor complains of lack of proficiency in his own eyes because of lack of tim...

Attributes
ACN	131641
Time
Date	198912
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	131641
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I am a pilot for a major air carrier who works off-line in management. We are told to stay current by flying an occasional line trip. Although we are told we may fly the line up to 1 day a week. In actuality, it never works out that way due to workload in the office. I try, but can't seem to get out on the line more than 1, or 2 at the maximum, days per month. As a result, my habit patterns are almost nonexistent. On 12/wed/89, I flew from msp to oma and back, and I could hardly believe how out of my element I felt. I could barely maintain headings, altitudes, etc, and several times was technically illegal--all due to infrequency of flying! Some of my friends in management have fallen so deeply into this trap that they will now fly the line only if they can arrange for a check airman to be sitting in the other seat. I think the govt should require that off-line management pilots meet certain activity levels. Perhaps that is the only way the airlines will set firm rule requiring realistic recency of experience levels for them. 3 takeoffs and lndgs in 90 days may be ok for recency in an small aircraft, but it doesn't cut it in an medium large transport, large transport or widebody transport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PLT SUPVR COMPLAINS OF LACK OF PROFICIENCY IN HIS OWN EYES BECAUSE OF LACK OF TIME TO GET OUT ON THE LINE OFTEN ENOUGH. ASKS IF GOVERNMENT CAN'T REQUIRE THAT THESE PLTS MEET CERTAIN ACTIVITY LEVELS. USUALLY SCHEDULES A CHECK AIRMAN TO ACCOMPANY THE MANAGEMENT PLT BECAUSE OF FEELING UNQUALIFIED.

Narrative: I AM A PLT FOR A MAJOR ACR WHO WORKS OFF-LINE IN MGMNT. WE ARE TOLD TO STAY CURRENT BY FLYING AN OCCASIONAL LINE TRIP. ALTHOUGH WE ARE TOLD WE MAY FLY THE LINE UP TO 1 DAY A WK. IN ACTUALITY, IT NEVER WORKS OUT THAT WAY DUE TO WORKLOAD IN THE OFFICE. I TRY, BUT CAN'T SEEM TO GET OUT ON THE LINE MORE THAN 1, OR 2 AT THE MAX, DAYS PER MONTH. AS A RESULT, MY HABIT PATTERNS ARE ALMOST NONEXISTENT. ON 12/WED/89, I FLEW FROM MSP TO OMA AND BACK, AND I COULD HARDLY BELIEVE HOW OUT OF MY ELEMENT I FELT. I COULD BARELY MAINTAIN HDGS, ALTS, ETC, AND SEVERAL TIMES WAS TECHNICALLY ILLEGAL--ALL DUE TO INFREQUENCY OF FLYING! SOME OF MY FRIENDS IN MGMNT HAVE FALLEN SO DEEPLY INTO THIS TRAP THAT THEY WILL NOW FLY THE LINE ONLY IF THEY CAN ARRANGE FOR A CHK AIRMAN TO BE SITTING IN THE OTHER SEAT. I THINK THE GOVT SHOULD REQUIRE THAT OFF-LINE MGMNT PLTS MEET CERTAIN ACTIVITY LEVELS. PERHAPS THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THE AIRLINES WILL SET FIRM RULE REQUIRING REALISTIC RECENCY OF EXPERIENCE LEVELS FOR THEM. 3 TKOFS AND LNDGS IN 90 DAYS MAY BE OK FOR RECENCY IN AN SMA, BUT IT DOESN'T CUT IT IN AN MLG, LGT OR WDB.

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.