Narrative:

General comment about arrival plate format: current format presents increased risk for error from a human factors perspective. Consider the olympia five arrival into seattle. Once cleared to descend via the olympia 5 (south flow for example); I must first find oly (box #1); then the airspeed box (box #2). I must subdivide the airspeed box into 3 separate categories (propeller/turboprop versus turbojet; then turbojet north versus south); then the altitude block (box 3); which I must again subdivide into categories. This format change is not good. In this example; the restrictions for 1 fix requires a scan of over 1/3 of the plate. As I sort through the applicable restrictions in each box; it is easy to forget what restriction was stated in the previous box; requiring multiple checks and cross checks to ensure proper data is loaded into FMC. This is difficult on a good day and very difficult to do if workload is high and or crew is fatigued.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 PLT RPTS THAT THE DISPLAY OF MULTIPLE CONSTRAINTS AND DECISION BOXES ON THE COMMERCIAL SEA OLM.OLM5 CHART COULD LEAD TO PLT ERROR.

Narrative: GENERAL COMMENT ABOUT ARRIVAL PLATE FORMAT: CURRENT FORMAT PRESENTS INCREASED RISK FOR ERROR FROM A HUMAN FACTORS PERSPECTIVE. CONSIDER THE OLYMPIA FIVE ARR INTO SEATTLE. ONCE CLRED TO DESCEND VIA THE OLYMPIA 5 (S FLOW FOR EXAMPLE); I MUST FIRST FIND OLY (BOX #1); THEN THE AIRSPEED BOX (BOX #2). I MUST SUBDIVIDE THE AIRSPEED BOX INTO 3 SEPARATE CATEGORIES (PROP/TURBOPROP VERSUS TURBOJET; THEN TURBOJET N VERSUS S); THEN THE ALTITUDE BLOCK (BOX 3); WHICH I MUST AGAIN SUBDIVIDE INTO CATEGORIES. THIS FORMAT CHANGE IS NOT GOOD. IN THIS EXAMPLE; THE RESTRICTIONS FOR 1 FIX REQUIRES A SCAN OF OVER 1/3 OF THE PLATE. AS I SORT THROUGH THE APPLICABLE RESTRICTIONS IN EACH BOX; IT IS EASY TO FORGET WHAT RESTRICTION WAS STATED IN THE PREVIOUS BOX; REQUIRING MULTIPLE CHKS AND CROSS CHKS TO ENSURE PROPER DATA IS LOADED INTO FMC. THIS IS DIFFICULT ON A GOOD DAY AND VERY DIFFICULT TO DO IF WORKLOAD IS HIGH AND OR CREW IS FATIGUED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.