As a B777 flies in automatic mode it is slow to climb. (148 pt 80).

Attributes
ACN	346951
Time
Date	199609
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	346951
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	347138
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While being vectored around thunderstorms in the newark area at 6000 ft we were told to climb to 7000 ft. I was flying a B777 with autoplt and autothrottle engaged. I pushed the altitude button after the first officer had put 7000 ft in the window and acknowledged clearance to 7000 ft to go around a thunderstorm. We did not begin to climb and I took about 15-20 seconds to realize that we were not climbing. The controller asked our altitude and we said we were trying to climb to 7000 ft but still at 6000 ft. I pushed the altitude button at least 3 more times with no results of a climb. We were at 210 KIAS and 1 degree flap. Then I pushed the throttles up manually and disconnected the autoplt to start a climb to 7000 ft. Upon arrival at 7000 ft we accelerated to 250 KIAS before I noticed our speed. I then pulled the throttles back to slow to 210 KIAS again but descended to 6600 ft before noticing my altitude. ATC asked our altitude again and we answered climbing to 7000 ft at 6600 ft now. I then reengaged the autoplt and autothrottles. I do not recall disengaging the autothrottles, but the initial climb was started after disengaging the autoplt, this left me behind what the aircraft was doing, trying to understand why the aircraft had not climbed before. We then were vectored to newark runway 4R to an ILS and landing. We, the two first officer's and myself discussed what had happened and decided that the autoplt being disengaged had led to some of the problems, but we could not figure out why the autothrottles disengaged. I have been on the B747-400 for 6 yrs and now on the B777 for 6 months and believe my scan without the autoplt and autothrottle is very slow! I do not know of a solution for the problem in today's glass aircraft and environment. Supplemental information from acn 347138: during radar vectors for approach into ewr for runway 4R we had to deviate for the WX. Captain hand flew the airplane to 7000 ft. Autothrottles somehow got disconnected so they were moved manually for the climb. Our speed was supposed to be 210 KTS, but at 7000 ft speed went up to 240 KTS, while controling altitude, speed, heading, and trying to avoid the cell.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AS A B777 FLIES IN AUTOMATIC MODE IT IS SLOW TO CLB. (148 PT 80).

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED AROUND TSTMS IN THE NEWARK AREA AT 6000 FT WE WERE TOLD TO CLB TO 7000 FT. I WAS FLYING A B777 WITH AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLE ENGAGED. I PUSHED THE ALT BUTTON AFTER THE FO HAD PUT 7000 FT IN THE WINDOW AND ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC TO 7000 FT TO GAR A TSTM. WE DID NOT BEGIN TO CLB AND I TOOK ABOUT 15-20 SECONDS TO REALIZE THAT WE WERE NOT CLBING. THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT AND WE SAID WE WERE TRYING TO CLB TO 7000 FT BUT STILL AT 6000 FT. I PUSHED THE ALT BUTTON AT LEAST 3 MORE TIMES WITH NO RESULTS OF A CLB. WE WERE AT 210 KIAS AND 1 DEG FLAP. THEN I PUSHED THE THROTTLES UP MANUALLY AND DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT TO START A CLB TO 7000 FT. UPON ARR AT 7000 FT WE ACCELERATED TO 250 KIAS BEFORE I NOTICED OUR SPD. I THEN PULLED THE THROTTLES BACK TO SLOW TO 210 KIAS AGAIN BUT DSNDED TO 6600 FT BEFORE NOTICING MY ALT. ATC ASKED OUR ALT AGAIN AND WE ANSWERED CLBING TO 7000 FT AT 6600 FT NOW. I THEN REENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES. I DO NOT RECALL DISENGAGING THE AUTOTHROTTLES, BUT THE INITIAL CLB WAS STARTED AFTER DISENGAGING THE AUTOPLT, THIS LEFT ME BEHIND WHAT THE ACFT WAS DOING, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE ACFT HAD NOT CLBED BEFORE. WE THEN WERE VECTORED TO NEWARK RWY 4R TO AN ILS AND LNDG. WE, THE TWO FO'S AND MYSELF DISCUSSED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND DECIDED THAT THE AUTOPLT BEING DISENGAGED HAD LED TO SOME OF THE PROBS, BUT WE COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY THE AUTOTHROTTLES DISENGAGED. I HAVE BEEN ON THE B747-400 FOR 6 YRS AND NOW ON THE B777 FOR 6 MONTHS AND BELIEVE MY SCAN WITHOUT THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLE IS VERY SLOW! I DO NOT KNOW OF A SOLUTION FOR THE PROB IN TODAY'S GLASS ACFT AND ENVIRONMENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 347138: DURING RADAR VECTORS FOR APCH INTO EWR FOR RWY 4R WE HAD TO DEVIATE FOR THE WX. CAPT HAND FLEW THE AIRPLANE TO 7000 FT. AUTOTHROTTLES SOMEHOW GOT DISCONNECTED SO THEY WERE MOVED MANUALLY FOR THE CLB. OUR SPD WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 210 KTS, BUT AT 7000 FT SPD WENT UP TO 240 KTS, WHILE CTLING ALT, SPD, HDG, AND TRYING TO AVOID THE CELL.

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.