An A319 first officer discusses the confusion caused by the dual purpose FMGC: FMS and ACARS. Report...

Attributes
ACN	697813
Time
Date	200605
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	697813
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

In the airbus; with the mcdu as the only input device for both ACARS and the FMGC; there is a huge safety issue with the amount of heads down time and frustration/confusion encountered when inputting miscellaneous report pr (twice) and TR to push and taxi was well as getting final weights; sending for new runway data; flight plan updates; etc. We were delayed twice when a new flight plan from dispatch and automatic-final weights came up over ACARS and overwrote/delayed the automated push/taxi reply. So I'm sitting there heads down trying to figure out what was wrong; am I on the right frequency; I'm hearing ramp clear a flight taxiing behind us to use caution for our push; but we haven't got a push clearance because ACARS is busy receiving a new flight plan; and confusion abounds. The ACARS automated push/taxi stuff needs to be stopped. The confusion and interference of ACARS with other necessary FMGC inputs on the airbus is an accident waiting to happen.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 FO DISCUSSES THE CONFUSION CAUSED BY THE DUAL PURPOSE FMGC: FMS AND ACARS. RPTR FEELS HEADS DOWN TIME MANAGING SYS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.

Narrative: IN THE AIRBUS; WITH THE MCDU AS THE ONLY INPUT DEVICE FOR BOTH ACARS AND THE FMGC; THERE IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE AMOUNT OF HEADS DOWN TIME AND FRUSTRATION/CONFUSION ENCOUNTERED WHEN INPUTTING MISCELLANEOUS RPT PR (TWICE) AND TR TO PUSH AND TAXI WAS WELL AS GETTING FINAL WTS; SENDING FOR NEW RWY DATA; FLT PLAN UPDATES; ETC. WE WERE DELAYED TWICE WHEN A NEW FLT PLAN FROM DISPATCH AND AUTO-FINAL WTS CAME UP OVER ACARS AND OVERWROTE/DELAYED THE AUTOMATED PUSH/TAXI REPLY. SO I'M SITTING THERE HEADS DOWN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG; AM I ON THE RIGHT FREQ; I'M HEARING RAMP CLR A FLT TAXIING BEHIND US TO USE CAUTION FOR OUR PUSH; BUT WE HAVEN'T GOT A PUSH CLRNC BECAUSE ACARS IS BUSY RECEIVING A NEW FLT PLAN; AND CONFUSION ABOUNDS. THE ACARS AUTOMATED PUSH/TAXI STUFF NEEDS TO BE STOPPED. THE CONFUSION AND INTERFERENCE OF ACARS WITH OTHER NECESSARY FMGC INPUTS ON THE AIRBUS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.

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.

An A319 first officer discusses the confusion caused by the dual purpose FMGC: FMS and ACARS. Reporter feels heads down time managing system is a safety issue.