DC10 crew reports more late changes in STAR and runway assignment while on civet arrival to lax.

Attributes
ACN	460052
Time
Date	200001
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 30F
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 24l
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : civet changed to mitts
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
ASRS Report	460052
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fmc/fms other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance ATC Facility
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Inter Facility Coordination Failure
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : sct.tracon
Airspace Structure	class b : lax.b
Chart	star : civet

Narrative:

Inbound to lax, cleared direct civet direct lax, expecting the usual civet arrival. Upon getting almost to civet, ATC cleared us to runway 24R, mitts arrival, direct snorkl, with several speed changes. It was way too close in for a STAR and runway change. We had to get the charts out, brief STAR, brief approach, load INS, navigation to snorkl. This could have been a setup for a dangerous situation for a crew which was not familiar with lax. I called the supervisor at socal. He was not very responsive and said 'that's the way we have to do it!' I told him it would help if the ATIS would announce the use of both the civet _______ stars. Also, the controller instructed an air carrier Y B737 to 'pull up alongside' our DC10. This is unsafe for several reasons including: 1) unbriefed formation flight per FARS, 2) causes TCASII RA. 3) wake turbulence issue for B737 behind DC10. ATC supervisor again discounted my safety concerns. These are recurring safety problems that ATC is unwilling to address.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10 CREW RPTS MORE LATE CHANGES IN STAR AND RWY ASSIGNMENT WHILE ON CIVET ARR TO LAX.

Narrative: INBOUND TO LAX, CLRED DIRECT CIVET DIRECT LAX, EXPECTING THE USUAL CIVET ARR. UPON GETTING ALMOST TO CIVET, ATC CLRED US TO RWY 24R, MITTS ARR, DIRECT SNORKL, WITH SEVERAL SPD CHANGES. IT WAS WAY TOO CLOSE IN FOR A STAR AND RWY CHANGE. WE HAD TO GET THE CHARTS OUT, BRIEF STAR, BRIEF APCH, LOAD INS, NAV TO SNORKL. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SETUP FOR A DANGEROUS SIT FOR A CREW WHICH WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH LAX. I CALLED THE SUPVR AT SOCAL. HE WAS NOT VERY RESPONSIVE AND SAID 'THAT'S THE WAY WE HAVE TO DO IT!' I TOLD HIM IT WOULD HELP IF THE ATIS WOULD ANNOUNCE THE USE OF BOTH THE CIVET _______ STARS. ALSO, THE CTLR INSTRUCTED AN ACR Y B737 TO 'PULL UP ALONGSIDE' OUR DC10. THIS IS UNSAFE FOR SEVERAL REASONS INCLUDING: 1) UNBRIEFED FORMATION FLT PER FARS, 2) CAUSES TCASII RA. 3) WAKE TURB ISSUE FOR B737 BEHIND DC10. ATC SUPVR AGAIN DISCOUNTED MY SAFETY CONCERNS. THESE ARE RECURRING SAFETY PROBS THAT ATC IS UNWILLING TO ADDRESS.

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.