Narrative:

On radar vectors sigen 1 alpa STAR, we had ATIS which only said WX and runway 7 in use (not type of approach) I asked controller what approach to expect, ILS runway 7L or runway 7R? He replied we would be told later -- first officer flying was on his qualifying 1ST trip to europe (very experienced USAF F16 national guard) (relief pilot also very experienced ex united states navy A-4's). PF briefed on ILS to runway 7R which we put in FMC and set up for -- ffm VOR was notamed OTS and we were using temporary (yellow) aircraft charts. On downwind, controller announced we were going to get NDB DME runway 7R approach -- which was selected in CDU and fw NDB put on fix page and maps on HSI. PF tried to tune ffm VOR temperature frequency to 110.95 which could not be tuned on our type of control head as the .95 would not go in as the PNF (captain) (instructor) I had not been to fra for several months but did remember how they use these NDB approach to runway 7 and I was content looking at my FMC distance from fw NDB. Relief pilot announced we were within 10 NM of fw and good down to fw crossing altitude of 1720 ft. I concurred and first officer started down -- leaving 4000 ft at about 3500 ft (EST) controller told us she showed us a 'little low' 'for our distance from runway' -- PF leveled off at 2800 ft until closer to fw and descended to cross fw NDB at 1720 ft. We all 3 pilots mistook the FMC distance from the fw NDB as governing when in fact the approach is based on DME from ffm VOR! Ffm VOR was not tuneable but next day we learned they had a 'ghost' frequency which we could have used! Instrument approach should not use distances based on vors at the other end of runway. They should use distance from the facility. I realize this is not always practical but it could really mess up your day. After a 9 hour flight this kind of confusion is easy to get into -- an ILS approach would have prevented this -- why do major airports use such antiquated and mistake prone approachs is beyond me.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC DSNDS EARLY GOING INTO FOREIGN ARPT. CONFUSION OVER DISTANCE FROM RWY.

Narrative: ON RADAR VECTORS SIGEN 1 ALPA STAR, WE HAD ATIS WHICH ONLY SAID WX AND RWY 7 IN USE (NOT TYPE OF APCH) I ASKED CTLR WHAT APCH TO EXPECT, ILS RWY 7L OR RWY 7R? HE REPLIED WE WOULD BE TOLD LATER -- FO FLYING WAS ON HIS QUALIFYING 1ST TRIP TO EUROPE (VERY EXPERIENCED USAF F16 NATIONAL GUARD) (RELIEF PLT ALSO VERY EXPERIENCED EX UNITED STATES NAVY A-4'S). PF BRIEFED ON ILS TO RWY 7R WHICH WE PUT IN FMC AND SET UP FOR -- FFM VOR WAS NOTAMED OTS AND WE WERE USING TEMPORARY (YELLOW) ACFT CHARTS. ON DOWNWIND, CTLR ANNOUNCED WE WERE GOING TO GET NDB DME RWY 7R APCH -- WHICH WAS SELECTED IN CDU AND FW NDB PUT ON FIX PAGE AND MAPS ON HSI. PF TRIED TO TUNE FFM VOR TEMP FREQ TO 110.95 WHICH COULD NOT BE TUNED ON OUR TYPE OF CTL HEAD AS THE .95 WOULD NOT GO IN AS THE PNF (CAPT) (INSTRUCTOR) I HAD NOT BEEN TO FRA FOR SEVERAL MONTHS BUT DID REMEMBER HOW THEY USE THESE NDB APCH TO RWY 7 AND I WAS CONTENT LOOKING AT MY FMC DISTANCE FROM FW NDB. RELIEF PLT ANNOUNCED WE WERE WITHIN 10 NM OF FW AND GOOD DOWN TO FW XING ALT OF 1720 FT. I CONCURRED AND FO STARTED DOWN -- LEAVING 4000 FT AT ABOUT 3500 FT (EST) CTLR TOLD US SHE SHOWED US A 'LITTLE LOW' 'FOR OUR DISTANCE FROM RWY' -- PF LEVELED OFF AT 2800 FT UNTIL CLOSER TO FW AND DSNDED TO CROSS FW NDB AT 1720 FT. WE ALL 3 PLTS MISTOOK THE FMC DISTANCE FROM THE FW NDB AS GOVERNING WHEN IN FACT THE APCH IS BASED ON DME FROM FFM VOR! FFM VOR WAS NOT TUNEABLE BUT NEXT DAY WE LEARNED THEY HAD A 'GHOST' FREQ WHICH WE COULD HAVE USED! INST APCH SHOULD NOT USE DISTANCES BASED ON VORS AT THE OTHER END OF RWY. THEY SHOULD USE DISTANCE FROM THE FACILITY. I REALIZE THIS IS NOT ALWAYS PRACTICAL BUT IT COULD REALLY MESS UP YOUR DAY. AFTER A 9 HR FLT THIS KIND OF CONFUSION IS EASY TO GET INTO -- AN ILS APCH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS -- WHY DO MAJOR ARPTS USE SUCH ANTIQUATED AND MISTAKE PRONE APCHS IS BEYOND ME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.