Narrative:

My flight was holding short of runway 15L when I saw an ACARS message from maintenance control; asking them to please contact maintenance to defer the FMS database upon arrival. I mentioned it to the dispatch lead; but did not say anything to maintenance. I did not add anything via ACARS as it would only further interrupt the flight. I opted to file a report because maintenance is not cognizant of sterile cockpit and the potential impact of interrupting a critical phase of flight for nonessential information. Maintenance appears to have no situational awareness of where the flight is at any given time. This also is evident when they add no dispatch mels when the flight is taxiing out; needlessly causing a gate return.interruption of sterile cockpit for nonessential communications. The crew could have missed an item on a checklist; a critical radio call or other important information because they were distracted by the ACARS message. Under normal circumstances; an isolated incident perhaps wouldn't warrant an as soon as possible. However; the maintenance controllers seem to be particularly ill trained when it comes to situational awareness; safety; policies; and procedures.all employees who have access to ACARS need to be cognizant of the phase of flight and ensure that no nonessential messages are sent during sterile cockpit/critical phase of flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An ERJ-135 Dispatcher noticed a Maintenance Controller sent a non-critical; routine ACARS message to an aircraft holding for takeoff. The Dispatcher believed not all company personnel are aware of sterile cockpit procedure and of the potential to interfere with crew duties at critical times by ACARS activation.

Narrative: My flight was holding short of Runway 15L when I saw an ACARS message from Maintenance Control; asking them to please contact maintenance to defer the FMS database upon arrival. I mentioned it to the Dispatch Lead; but did not say anything to Maintenance. I did not add anything via ACARS as it would only further interrupt the flight. I opted to file a report because maintenance is not cognizant of sterile cockpit and the potential impact of interrupting a critical phase of flight for nonessential information. Maintenance appears to have no situational awareness of where the flight is at any given time. This also is evident when they add no dispatch MELs when the flight is taxiing out; needlessly causing a gate return.Interruption of sterile cockpit for nonessential communications. The crew could have missed an item on a checklist; a critical radio call or other important information because they were distracted by the ACARS message. Under normal circumstances; an isolated incident perhaps wouldn't warrant an ASAP. However; the Maintenance Controllers seem to be particularly ill trained when it comes to situational awareness; safety; policies; and procedures.All employees who have access to ACARS need to be cognizant of the phase of flight and ensure that no nonessential messages are sent during sterile cockpit/critical phase of flight.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.