EA32 crew was unable to program aircraft FMC to comply with a 12000 ft crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	414985
Time
Date	199809
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pgy airport : san
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
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 : 210 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	414985
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Airbus FMC incompatibility with san baret 4 arrival (tnp/eed/pke transition). The airbus 319/320 FMS navigation computer cannot be programmed to comply with the '25 NM northeast of pgy VOR' at 12000 ft MSL. Unlike boeing and other FMS system, the airbus FMS does not have an 'along track displacement' capability. Recommendations: 1) creation of a 'named waypoint' (latitude/longitude) at the 25 DME position, or 2) move the crossing restr to the dss pgy fix, which is in the airbus database, or 3) convince airbus to upgrade their FMS (ain't gonna happen!). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: captain is concerned that with all the emphasis on allowing the automation to fly the aircraft, the SID and STAR routing should be built accordingly. The way this arrival is built, it precludes the use of aircraft automation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EA32 CREW WAS UNABLE TO PROGRAM ACFT FMC TO COMPLY WITH A 12000 FT XING RESTR.

Narrative: AIRBUS FMC INCOMPATIBILITY WITH SAN BARET 4 ARR (TNP/EED/PKE TRANSITION). THE AIRBUS 319/320 FMS NAV COMPUTER CANNOT BE PROGRAMMED TO COMPLY WITH THE '25 NM NE OF PGY VOR' AT 12000 FT MSL. UNLIKE BOEING AND OTHER FMS SYS, THE AIRBUS FMS DOES NOT HAVE AN 'ALONG TRACK DISPLACEMENT' CAPABILITY. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) CREATION OF A 'NAMED WAYPOINT' (LATITUDE/LONGITUDE) AT THE 25 DME POS, OR 2) MOVE THE XING RESTR TO THE DSS PGY FIX, WHICH IS IN THE AIRBUS DATABASE, OR 3) CONVINCE AIRBUS TO UPGRADE THEIR FMS (AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN!). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CAPT IS CONCERNED THAT WITH ALL THE EMPHASIS ON ALLOWING THE AUTOMATION TO FLY THE ACFT, THE SID AND STAR ROUTING SHOULD BE BUILT ACCORDINGLY. THE WAY THIS ARR IS BUILT, IT PRECLUDES THE USE OF ACFT AUTOMATION.

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.