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B717 flight crew concerned with their ability to read the glaresheild indications while flying into the sun.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 572870 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200302 |
| Day | Tue |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B717 (Formerly MD-95) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial climbout : vacating altitude cruise : level descent : intermediate altitude descent : vacating altitude descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 572870 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
The B717 glare shield instrument panel, speed, heading, and altitude window have off-gray colored numbers. These numbers are not readily visible to either pilot when flying into sunlight. The numbers should be a different color. The condition is unsafe and a change is needed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter had flown the B767 prior to the B717 and the display was brighter and slightly different. Additionally, his main desire was to ensure that something was placed in the database concerning the digital displays in the B717. He felt that the main operations of his company were during VFR conditions and usually in the morning and early evening which led to a low angle for the sun and thereby creating excessively brightness in the cockpit. Although he was concerned in his original report, the unsafe conditions may have been overemphasized.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B717 FLC CONCERNED WITH THEIR ABILITY TO READ THE GLARESHEILD INDICATIONS WHILE FLYING INTO THE SUN.
Narrative: THE B717 GLARE SHIELD INST PANEL, SPD, HDG, AND ALT WINDOW HAVE OFF-GRAY COLORED NUMBERS. THESE NUMBERS ARE NOT READILY VISIBLE TO EITHER PLT WHEN FLYING INTO SUNLIGHT. THE NUMBERS SHOULD BE A DIFFERENT COLOR. THE CONDITION IS UNSAFE AND A CHANGE IS NEEDED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR HAD FLOWN THE B767 PRIOR TO THE B717 AND THE DISPLAY WAS BRIGHTER AND SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. ADDITIONALLY, HIS MAIN DESIRE WAS TO ENSURE THAT SOMETHING WAS PLACED IN THE DATABASE CONCERNING THE DIGITAL DISPLAYS IN THE B717. HE FELT THAT THE MAIN OPS OF HIS COMPANY WERE DURING VFR CONDITIONS AND USUALLY IN THE MORNING AND EARLY EVENING WHICH LED TO A LOW ANGLE FOR THE SUN AND THEREBY CREATING EXCESSIVELY BRIGHTNESS IN THE COCKPIT. ALTHOUGH HE WAS CONCERNED IN HIS ORIGINAL RPT, THE UNSAFE CONDITIONS MAY HAVE BEEN OVEREMPHASIZED.
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.