Narrative:

After days off I was informed yesterday via company email that [the new flight planning software] would be turned on for my next pacific crossing three days hence. I am in the middle of a trip at the moment. I fly the all-nighter tonight and return tomorrow in the morning. It has been a long time since my training so I decided it would be prudent to take the refresher training during my layover here on the company learning center. I completed the first module on performance and then tried to move onto the second. The system would not allow me to progress even though it showed me as completed phase one. I tried calling the computer help center; and after being put on hold for thirty minutes was automatically sent to a voice mailbox. After flying the all-nighter tonight I will need to sleep. Then I have four children that I must care for during my 30 hours at home. I will have no chance to refresh or study the new flight plan format; and adequately prepare for my trip the following day. Also; I recently completed phase one of the integration training. To say it is woefully inadequate would be an understatement. I learned nothing except they are renaming the operations center. If the company insists on training us by email and home study cbt [computer based training] they need to do a much better job of it; and provide us the tools to prepare and execute a safe operation. As far as my flight; I can only hope someone is in flight operations to guide me through the process. I don't like coming to work unprepared; and [forced] to do so simply because of a cost saving exercise by the company.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air Carrier Captain laments the poor computer based training received prior to the implementation of a new flight planning program which will change flight plan format.

Narrative: After days off I was informed yesterday via company email that [the new flight planning software] would be turned on for my next Pacific crossing three days hence. I am in the middle of a trip at the moment. I fly the all-nighter tonight and return tomorrow in the morning. It has been a long time since my training so I decided it would be prudent to take the refresher training during my layover here on the company learning center. I completed the first module on performance and then tried to move onto the second. The system would not allow me to progress even though it showed me as completed phase one. I tried calling the computer help center; and after being put on hold for thirty minutes was automatically sent to a voice mailbox. After flying the all-nighter tonight I will need to sleep. Then I have four children that I must care for during my 30 hours at home. I will have no chance to refresh or study the new flight plan format; and adequately prepare for my trip the following day. Also; I recently completed phase one of the integration training. To say it is woefully inadequate would be an understatement. I learned nothing except they are renaming the operations center. If the company insists on training us by email and home study CBT [computer based training] they need to do a much better job of it; and provide us the tools to prepare and execute a safe operation. As far as my flight; I can only hope someone is in Flight Operations to guide me through the process. I don't like coming to work unprepared; and [forced] to do so simply because of a cost saving exercise by the company.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.