B747-400 experiences loss of communication capability on polar route.

Attributes
ACN	801311
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 32000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	801311
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

At approximately XA10Z the datalink and satvoice went dead as indicated on the EICAS amber. We were still able to work on 1 HF only; as the other was scratchy and unusable. The HF came in at no more than a 2 X 2 scale. Our concern was maintaining operations integrity via some form of link with dispatch. Fortunately; I had requested working frequencys with dispatch. Uploaded frequencys were 11342/11348/6640. My first officer tried these and about 20 other ldoc frequencys; to no avail. At XB26 the satvoice and datalink again became operable. We were incapable of receiving or talking with our dispatch for over 1 hour 15 mins. This is strange for this to happen at this time of yr; and on polar 3. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter emphasized that all communication capability was lost; ATC as well as company radio. He advised that he has refused to fly polar routes one and two because of repeated similar communication failures and flies route three with some trepidation. His airline had; at one point; agreed to get more up to date 'iridium' based long range communication equipment but budget considerations caused them to rescind the program.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-400 EXPERIENCES LOSS OF COM CAPABILITY ON POLAR ROUTE.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA10Z THE DATALINK AND SATVOICE WENT DEAD AS INDICATED ON THE EICAS AMBER. WE WERE STILL ABLE TO WORK ON 1 HF ONLY; AS THE OTHER WAS SCRATCHY AND UNUSABLE. THE HF CAME IN AT NO MORE THAN A 2 X 2 SCALE. OUR CONCERN WAS MAINTAINING OPS INTEGRITY VIA SOME FORM OF LINK WITH DISPATCH. FORTUNATELY; I HAD REQUESTED WORKING FREQS WITH DISPATCH. UPLOADED FREQS WERE 11342/11348/6640. MY FO TRIED THESE AND ABOUT 20 OTHER LDOC FREQS; TO NO AVAIL. AT XB26 THE SATVOICE AND DATALINK AGAIN BECAME OPERABLE. WE WERE INCAPABLE OF RECEIVING OR TALKING WITH OUR DISPATCH FOR OVER 1 HR 15 MINS. THIS IS STRANGE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AT THIS TIME OF YR; AND ON POLAR 3. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER EMPHASIZED THAT ALL COM CAPABILITY WAS LOST; ATC AS WELL AS COMPANY RADIO. HE ADVISED THAT HE HAS REFUSED TO FLY POLAR ROUTES ONE AND TWO BECAUSE OF REPEATED SIMILAR COM FAILURES AND FLIES ROUTE THREE WITH SOME TREPIDATION. HIS AIRLINE HAD; AT ONE POINT; AGREED TO GET MORE UP TO DATE 'IRIDIUM' BASED LONG RANGE COM EQUIPMENT BUT BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS CAUSED THEM TO RESCIND THE PROGRAM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.