Narrative:

Nearing our destination, we observed a gradual loss of system a hydraulic qty. Anticipating a possible loss of pressure also, we executed early gear/flap extension. Subsequently, all system a quantity and pressure went to 0. We accomplished the abnormal procedures required, and requested priority handling with emergency vehicles standing by. The approach and landing were uneventful and we were able to clear the active runway with nose wheel steering inoperative. This was my first flight in an aircraft configured as a former air carrier medium large transport. Although I had been through differences training recently, and the hydraulics are basically the same, there were enough other differences in instrumentation to further increase the workload (stress level) in handling the aircraft under those conditions--and I was considered fortunate to have been trained so recently. My first officer and many others had been through differences as much as 6-8 months before ever flying the aircraft. The program was approved by the FAA, but the timeliness of its administration is questionable and may serve to diminish safety through a lack of familiarity initially.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG EXPERIENCES LOSS OF PRIMARY HYDRAULIC SYSTEM QUANTITY AND PRESSURE. CITES DIFFERENCES TRAINING DEFICIENCIES.

Narrative: NEARING OUR DEST, WE OBSERVED A GRADUAL LOSS OF SYS A HYD QTY. ANTICIPATING A POSSIBLE LOSS OF PRESSURE ALSO, WE EXECUTED EARLY GEAR/FLAP EXTENSION. SUBSEQUENTLY, ALL SYS A QUANTITY AND PRESSURE WENT TO 0. WE ACCOMPLISHED THE ABNORMAL PROCS REQUIRED, AND REQUESTED PRIORITY HANDLING WITH EMER VEHICLES STANDING BY. THE APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL AND WE WERE ABLE TO CLR THE ACTIVE RWY WITH NOSE WHEEL STEERING INOP. THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT IN AN ACFT CONFIGURED AS A FORMER ACR MLG. ALTHOUGH I HAD BEEN THROUGH DIFFERENCES TRNING RECENTLY, AND THE HYDS ARE BASICALLY THE SAME, THERE WERE ENOUGH OTHER DIFFERENCES IN INSTRUMENTATION TO FURTHER INCREASE THE WORKLOAD (STRESS LEVEL) IN HANDLING THE ACFT UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS--AND I WAS CONSIDERED FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN TRAINED SO RECENTLY. MY F/O AND MANY OTHERS HAD BEEN THROUGH DIFFERENCES AS MUCH AS 6-8 MONTHS BEFORE EVER FLYING THE ACFT. THE PROGRAM WAS APPROVED BY THE FAA, BUT THE TIMELINESS OF ITS ADMINISTRATION IS QUESTIONABLE AND MAY SERVE TO DIMINISH SAFETY THROUGH A LACK OF FAMILIARITY INITIALLY.

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.