Narrative:

The ads-B modified DC8 aircraft have the radar control panel moved to the bottom of the center throttle quadrant behind the throttles. With climb thrust set, the reverse thrust levers hinder the use of the radar control head. This was extremely distracting and almost caused me to miss a leveloff. Please read the safety report printed in the current section on the reverse side. This is what I submitted to our company. Although there was not any violation or missed ATC instructions, I found it difficult to perform my normal duties. My crew and I flew the modified aircraft last night. This was the first ads-B modified aircraft that I am aware that I've flown. I have read the bulletin, but did not realize the problem of the location of the radar control panel until climb out. With the throttles set at climb thrust, the reverse thrust levers inhibit the use of the radar control panel to the point it distraction me from my primary flight duties. The distraction took several mins to figure out how to reach my hand around the reverse thrust levers to adjust the tilt and range. We had several buildups on climb out. I felt this was very distracting and it lowered our margin of safety during the critical climb phase of flight. Everyone's dexterity is different and not every DC8 thrust levers and throttle quadrants are exactly the same. On this aircraft my wide hand found it extremely difficult and distracting to use the radar with the throttles forward. I feel it would be even more distracting in a critical go around situation with buildups around the field. I recommend that they move the radar control panel either back where it was or to the pedestal above the pt switch, or put it in the center overhead panel where all 3 crew members can read it with ease. Another suggestion would be to put the ads-B panel on the overhead or back by the flight engineer. I would also recommend to all capts that they preflight the radar of the modified aircraft with the throttles forward at approximately climb thrust or takeoff thrust throttle position. This will allow them to practice using the radar control panel with the reverse thrust levers in the way. This will prevent a total surprise on the critical climb out phase of flight. The radar control panel is easily accessible to preflight with the throttles at idle.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC8. COMPANY HAS MOVED THE RADAR CTL PANEL TO A POINT THAT CAUSES INTERFERENCE FROM THE THROTTLES WHEN INFLT.

Narrative: THE ADS-B MODIFIED DC8 ACFT HAVE THE RADAR CTL PANEL MOVED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CTR THROTTLE QUADRANT BEHIND THE THROTTLES. WITH CLB THRUST SET, THE REVERSE THRUST LEVERS HINDER THE USE OF THE RADAR CTL HEAD. THIS WAS EXTREMELY DISTRACTING AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO MISS A LEVELOFF. PLEASE READ THE SAFETY RPT PRINTED IN THE CURRENT SECTION ON THE REVERSE SIDE. THIS IS WHAT I SUBMITTED TO OUR COMPANY. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NOT ANY VIOLATION OR MISSED ATC INSTRUCTIONS, I FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO PERFORM MY NORMAL DUTIES. MY CREW AND I FLEW THE MODIFIED ACFT LAST NIGHT. THIS WAS THE FIRST ADS-B MODIFIED ACFT THAT I AM AWARE THAT I'VE FLOWN. I HAVE READ THE BULLETIN, BUT DID NOT REALIZE THE PROB OF THE LOCATION OF THE RADAR CTL PANEL UNTIL CLBOUT. WITH THE THROTTLES SET AT CLB THRUST, THE REVERSE THRUST LEVERS INHIBIT THE USE OF THE RADAR CTL PANEL TO THE POINT IT DISTR ME FROM MY PRIMARY FLT DUTIES. THE DISTR TOOK SEVERAL MINS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO REACH MY HAND AROUND THE REVERSE THRUST LEVERS TO ADJUST THE TILT AND RANGE. WE HAD SEVERAL BUILDUPS ON CLBOUT. I FELT THIS WAS VERY DISTRACTING AND IT LOWERED OUR MARGIN OF SAFETY DURING THE CRITICAL CLB PHASE OF FLT. EVERYONE'S DEXTERITY IS DIFFERENT AND NOT EVERY DC8 THRUST LEVERS AND THROTTLE QUADRANTS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME. ON THIS ACFT MY WIDE HAND FOUND IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND DISTRACTING TO USE THE RADAR WITH THE THROTTLES FORWARD. I FEEL IT WOULD BE EVEN MORE DISTRACTING IN A CRITICAL GAR SIT WITH BUILDUPS AROUND THE FIELD. I RECOMMEND THAT THEY MOVE THE RADAR CTL PANEL EITHER BACK WHERE IT WAS OR TO THE PEDESTAL ABOVE THE PT SWITCH, OR PUT IT IN THE CTR OVERHEAD PANEL WHERE ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS CAN READ IT WITH EASE. ANOTHER SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO PUT THE ADS-B PANEL ON THE OVERHEAD OR BACK BY THE FE. I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND TO ALL CAPTS THAT THEY PREFLT THE RADAR OF THE MODIFIED ACFT WITH THE THROTTLES FORWARD AT APPROX CLB THRUST OR TKOF THRUST THROTTLE POS. THIS WILL ALLOW THEM TO PRACTICE USING THE RADAR CTL PANEL WITH THE REVERSE THRUST LEVERS IN THE WAY. THIS WILL PREVENT A TOTAL SURPRISE ON THE CRITICAL CLBOUT PHASE OF FLT. THE RADAR CTL PANEL IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO PREFLT WITH THE THROTTLES AT IDLE.

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.