Narrative:

Cleared for civet 2 profile descent, entered in FMC. Vectored off the procedure and then a vector to intercept inside civet intersection. ATC advised: 'maintain 16000.' cleared direct to hunda. PNF entered 'direct intercept' to hunda, wiping out the fixes associated with the civet profile descent. Level at 16000'. ATC cleared to cross aines at or above 10000' and resume civet profile descent. We were inside civet and we were high as far as the optimum altitude to comfortably make our xings, so advised ATC--they advised ok. Also, we had lost reference to our map display for the fixes between ourselves and hunda. There are several ways to define the location of these fixes, all require moving switches or changing modes to VOR or ILS (localizer DME) from the map position. Seems simple enough as I write, but in the scenario we were scrambling to get down, get on the profile, maintain a traffic watch, identify the fixes. We hit them as the PNF set the altitude alert and I used the speed brakes and flch mode to step down on the procedure. This procedure is difficult, but we do it everyday, and the ATC often makes changes to keep speed up, 'you're #1, maintain 16000 for a while,' etc. You are actually flying a non-precision approach. You need to get right on it and it is busy to stay on it. Changes in clearance may be necessary for ATC to handle the traffic, but I believe we must be careful with changes followed by the reclrnc onto a procedure like this. Cockpit workload goes way up for several mins during a time that is already very busy. The opportunity to make mistakes, miss an altitude at a fix, read horizontal distance to a fix (IRU derived) as opposed to DME, when the DME distance ilax defines the fix (i.e., distance from hunda, the new active waypoint in this scenario opposed ilx-DME to define fueler and suzzi). The new glass cockpits are a significant advance in information and capability. However, they have pitfalls, too. As a pilot I must look at a procedure and then analyze what I may do with it--if ATC modifies the procedure. Should I leave the civet procedure in although I've been cleared to hunda, because I think ATC eventually will want me to fly the profile descent? Or, should I program direct to hunda as cleared? As I became more experienced with the glass cockpit after 12 yrs in an older style cockpit, I'm sure I'll find it even more versatile than now. It is the way of the future, and hopefully it will continue to be refined--some of the awkward characteristics worked out. However, over the next several yrs we will have a lot of new people in these cockpits--mistakes will be made. Let us be aware and try not to offer extra opportunities to make a mistake.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ADVTECH WDB FLT CREW MAY NOT HAVE COMPLIED WITH ALT CROSSING RESTRICTIONS.

Narrative: CLRED FOR CIVET 2 PROFILE DSNT, ENTERED IN FMC. VECTORED OFF THE PROC AND THEN A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT INSIDE CIVET INTXN. ATC ADVISED: 'MAINTAIN 16000.' CLRED DIRECT TO HUNDA. PNF ENTERED 'DIRECT INTERCEPT' TO HUNDA, WIPING OUT THE FIXES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CIVET PROFILE DSNT. LEVEL AT 16000'. ATC CLRED TO CROSS AINES AT OR ABOVE 10000' AND RESUME CIVET PROFILE DSNT. WE WERE INSIDE CIVET AND WE WERE HIGH AS FAR AS THE OPTIMUM ALT TO COMFORTABLY MAKE OUR XINGS, SO ADVISED ATC--THEY ADVISED OK. ALSO, WE HAD LOST REF TO OUR MAP DISPLAY FOR THE FIXES BTWN OURSELVES AND HUNDA. THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO DEFINE THE LOCATION OF THESE FIXES, ALL REQUIRE MOVING SWITCHES OR CHANGING MODES TO VOR OR ILS (LOC DME) FROM THE MAP POS. SEEMS SIMPLE ENOUGH AS I WRITE, BUT IN THE SCENARIO WE WERE SCRAMBLING TO GET DOWN, GET ON THE PROFILE, MAINTAIN A TFC WATCH, IDENT THE FIXES. WE HIT THEM AS THE PNF SET THE ALT ALERT AND I USED THE SPD BRAKES AND FLCH MODE TO STEP DOWN ON THE PROC. THIS PROC IS DIFFICULT, BUT WE DO IT EVERYDAY, AND THE ATC OFTEN MAKES CHANGES TO KEEP SPD UP, 'YOU'RE #1, MAINTAIN 16000 FOR A WHILE,' ETC. YOU ARE ACTUALLY FLYING A NON-PRECISION APCH. YOU NEED TO GET RIGHT ON IT AND IT IS BUSY TO STAY ON IT. CHANGES IN CLRNC MAY BE NECESSARY FOR ATC TO HANDLE THE TFC, BUT I BELIEVE WE MUST BE CAREFUL WITH CHANGES FOLLOWED BY THE RECLRNC ONTO A PROC LIKE THIS. COCKPIT WORKLOAD GOES WAY UP FOR SEVERAL MINS DURING A TIME THAT IS ALREADY VERY BUSY. THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MISTAKES, MISS AN ALT AT A FIX, READ HORIZ DISTANCE TO A FIX (IRU DERIVED) AS OPPOSED TO DME, WHEN THE DME DISTANCE ILAX DEFINES THE FIX (I.E., DISTANCE FROM HUNDA, THE NEW ACTIVE WAYPOINT IN THIS SCENARIO OPPOSED ILX-DME TO DEFINE FUELER AND SUZZI). THE NEW GLASS COCKPITS ARE A SIGNIFICANT ADVANCE IN INFO AND CAPABILITY. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE PITFALLS, TOO. AS A PLT I MUST LOOK AT A PROC AND THEN ANALYZE WHAT I MAY DO WITH IT--IF ATC MODIFIES THE PROC. SHOULD I LEAVE THE CIVET PROC IN ALTHOUGH I'VE BEEN CLRED TO HUNDA, BECAUSE I THINK ATC EVENTUALLY WILL WANT ME TO FLY THE PROFILE DSNT? OR, SHOULD I PROGRAM DIRECT TO HUNDA AS CLRED? AS I BECAME MORE EXPERIENCED WITH THE GLASS COCKPIT AFTER 12 YRS IN AN OLDER STYLE COCKPIT, I'M SURE I'LL FIND IT EVEN MORE VERSATILE THAN NOW. IT IS THE WAY OF THE FUTURE, AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE REFINED--SOME OF THE AWKWARD CHARACTERISTICS WORKED OUT. HOWEVER, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YRS WE WILL HAVE A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE IN THESE COCKPITS--MISTAKES WILL BE MADE. LET US BE AWARE AND TRY NOT TO OFFER EXTRA OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE A MISTAKE.

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.