Narrative:

I checked out on the B757 approximately 1 year ago. Prior to that I had not flown into lax in some time as our md-80 aircraft did not fly that route. I am very uncomfortable with the current method STAR and runway assignments. As is every other airline pilot to whom I have brought up the subject. There is no other place I know of where a pilot does not know his STAR assignment in advance of contact with approach control. My personal worst case was several months ago when I contacted coast approach and even then was not told of my STAR assignment. (I was 20 NM from civet, approximately 2 minutes from the initial fix!) this is difficult for all aircraft often causing a frenzied hunt for the correct STAR (different from the one expected.) then in a matter of seconds one is supposed to be able to check all the altitude restrictions, ensuring they are correct, and fly the aircraft to meet all their hard altitude restrictions. More advance time is necessary, this rush can too easily lead to mistakes. Then one is likely to get the runway changed at least once, again causing lots of paper shuffling and head down work in glass cockpits. We all know that the objective is optimizing traffic flow, but the situation has gotten out of hand. Pilots have been putting up with it, but even a friend at an air carrier based in lax thinks it is bad practice (he's a B767 and B757 captain). We need earlier notice and not so many last minute changes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CAPT FEELS THAT EXCESSIVE CHANGES TO STAR ARRIVALS AND RWYS WHEN ARRIVING FROM THE E AT LAX, ADVERSELY IMPACT SAFETY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE ON FMC EQUIPPED ACFT.

Narrative: I CHECKED OUT ON THE B757 APPROX 1 YEAR AGO. PRIOR TO THAT I HAD NOT FLOWN INTO LAX IN SOME TIME AS OUR MD-80 ACFT DID NOT FLY THAT ROUTE. I AM VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE CURRENT METHOD STAR AND RWY ASSIGNMENTS. AS IS EVERY OTHER AIRLINE PLT TO WHOM I HAVE BROUGHT UP THE SUBJECT. THERE IS NO OTHER PLACE I KNOW OF WHERE A PLT DOES NOT KNOW HIS STAR ASSIGNMENT IN ADVANCE OF CONTACT WITH APCH CTL. MY PERSONAL WORST CASE WAS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WHEN I CONTACTED COAST APCH AND EVEN THEN WAS NOT TOLD OF MY STAR ASSIGNMENT. (I WAS 20 NM FROM CIVET, APPROX 2 MINUTES FROM THE INITIAL FIX!) THIS IS DIFFICULT FOR ALL ACFT OFTEN CAUSING A FRENZIED HUNT FOR THE CORRECT STAR (DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE EXPECTED.) THEN IN A MATTER OF SECONDS ONE IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO CHECK ALL THE ALT RESTRICTIONS, ENSURING THEY ARE CORRECT, AND FLY THE ACFT TO MEET ALL THEIR HARD ALT RESTRICTIONS. MORE ADVANCE TIME IS NECESSARY, THIS RUSH CAN TOO EASILY LEAD TO MISTAKES. THEN ONE IS LIKELY TO GET THE RWY CHANGED AT LEAST ONCE, AGAIN CAUSING LOTS OF PAPER SHUFFLING AND HEAD DOWN WORK IN GLASS COCKPITS. WE ALL KNOW THAT THE OBJECTIVE IS OPTIMIZING TFC FLOW, BUT THE SITUATION HAS GOTTEN OUT OF HAND. PLTS HAVE BEEN PUTTING UP WITH IT, BUT EVEN A FRIEND AT AN ACR BASED IN LAX THINKS IT IS BAD PRACTICE (HE'S A B767 AND B757 CAPT). WE NEED EARLIER NOTICE AND NOT SO MANY LAST MINUTE CHANGES.

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.