Narrative:

Air carrier advanced technology widebody transport flight jfk to narita international. Due to the length of flight double flight crew on board. Initial operating experience was being given to a new captain, thus he performed the aircraft at jfk. Passing 10000' paired captain and I took control of the aircraft so the IOE crew would be rested for the landing at nat. The advanced technology widebody transport radio panels can be remotely tuned from the first officer's remote tuning panel. Since this can be confusing, a white light illuminates on both radio tuning panels indicating that the left VHF is being frequency tuned by the first officer's rtp. When we took over passing 10000', the flight plan was laying over the communication console and I assumed normal tuning for the respective radios. As per SOP, I tuned in 121.5 on right VHF which accidentally switched us off ARTCC frequency. After 5 mins it obviously seemed too quiet, then we realized the error. We switched back to center frequency, who were wondering where we had gone!! Needless to say, the remote tuning function for this aircraft may relive a crew member from reaching the extra 8' to dial a frequency, however this is a good example of what can happen when not informed of the communication confign at crew relief time. I feel this feature of a highly automated and busy cockpit is not needed and can contribute to many errors!!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW FINGER TROUBLE FOR NEW ADVTECH ACR WDB.

Narrative: ACR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY WDB FLT JFK TO NARITA INTL. DUE TO THE LENGTH OF FLT DOUBLE FLT CREW ON BOARD. INITIAL OPERATING EXPERIENCE WAS BEING GIVEN TO A NEW CAPT, THUS HE PERFORMED THE ACFT AT JFK. PASSING 10000' PAIRED CAPT AND I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT SO THE IOE CREW WOULD BE RESTED FOR THE LNDG AT NAT. THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY WDB RADIO PANELS CAN BE REMOTELY TUNED FROM THE F/O'S REMOTE TUNING PANEL. SINCE THIS CAN BE CONFUSING, A WHITE LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON BOTH RADIO TUNING PANELS INDICATING THAT THE LEFT VHF IS BEING FREQ TUNED BY THE F/O'S RTP. WHEN WE TOOK OVER PASSING 10000', THE FLT PLAN WAS LAYING OVER THE COM CONSOLE AND I ASSUMED NORMAL TUNING FOR THE RESPECTIVE RADIOS. AS PER SOP, I TUNED IN 121.5 ON RIGHT VHF WHICH ACCIDENTALLY SWITCHED US OFF ARTCC FREQ. AFTER 5 MINS IT OBVIOUSLY SEEMED TOO QUIET, THEN WE REALIZED THE ERROR. WE SWITCHED BACK TO CENTER FREQ, WHO WERE WONDERING WHERE WE HAD GONE!! NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE REMOTE TUNING FUNCTION FOR THIS ACFT MAY RELIVE A CREW MEMBER FROM REACHING THE EXTRA 8' TO DIAL A FREQ, HOWEVER THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN NOT INFORMED OF THE COM CONFIGN AT CREW RELIEF TIME. I FEEL THIS FEATURE OF A HIGHLY AUTOMATED AND BUSY COCKPIT IS NOT NEEDED AND CAN CONTRIBUTE TO MANY ERRORS!!

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.