Narrative:

This report pertains to a ground training class. As a part 121 aircraft dispatcher, I am required to attend 16 hours ground school on all new equipment I'll be dispatching. Our airline is planning on beginning revenue service with the new widebody transport on 2/thu/91. During this initial 2 day class, the instrument was unable to either answer or obtain approximately 80% of the questions asked. Such basic information as the operating empty weight, total fuel quantity, oil quantity, cruise mach, 2 engine out drift down data, MEL limitations as they will pertain to our airline operation, and many more such areas of operation. No performance information was available, except maximum takeoff and landing weights, we did watch a video on how to open and close a door on a widebody transport X and spent 2 1/2 hours reading the preamble to the MEL. The 2 days were filled with much filler material, little of which pertained to the information needed for dispatching this aircraft. Many of the answers given in class on performance questions were 'to be determined later.' we have less than 4 weeks till we start service with a brand new aircraft, and data is still not available. This class was initially not certified by the FAA. Talking with people that were in the original non-certified class and then were in this particular class say they were identical. After finishing this class, and knowing that is the only training will be given prior to developing a flight release and maintaining operational control of this aircraft for a trip from lax-nrt, I feel I am not qualified. All the students in this class agree with this assessment. Our feelings have been made known to management, so now we will wait and see what happens. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: aircraft now in service. OJT so to speak has covered most items not covered in training class. Additional information available in manuals pertinent to aircraft type.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER COMPLAINT ABOUT DISPATCHER TRAINING CLASS ON NEW WDB ACFT TO BE PUT IN SERVICE SOON.

Narrative: THIS RPT PERTAINS TO A GND TRNING CLASS. AS A PART 121 ACFT DISPATCHER, I AM REQUIRED TO ATTEND 16 HRS GND SCHOOL ON ALL NEW EQUIP I'LL BE DISPATCHING. OUR AIRLINE IS PLANNING ON BEGINNING REVENUE SVC WITH THE NEW WDB ON 2/THU/91. DURING THIS INITIAL 2 DAY CLASS, THE INSTR WAS UNABLE TO EITHER ANSWER OR OBTAIN APPROX 80% OF THE QUESTIONS ASKED. SUCH BASIC INFO AS THE OPERATING EMPTY WT, TOTAL FUEL QUANTITY, OIL QUANTITY, CRUISE MACH, 2 ENG OUT DRIFT DOWN DATA, MEL LIMITATIONS AS THEY WILL PERTAIN TO OUR AIRLINE OPERATION, AND MANY MORE SUCH AREAS OF OPERATION. NO PERFORMANCE INFO WAS AVAILABLE, EXCEPT MAX TKOF AND LNDG WTS, WE DID WATCH A VIDEO ON HOW TO OPEN AND CLOSE A DOOR ON A WDB X AND SPENT 2 1/2 HRS READING THE PREAMBLE TO THE MEL. THE 2 DAYS WERE FILLED WITH MUCH FILLER MATERIAL, LITTLE OF WHICH PERTAINED TO THE INFO NEEDED FOR DISPATCHING THIS ACFT. MANY OF THE ANSWERS GIVEN IN CLASS ON PERFORMANCE QUESTIONS WERE 'TO BE DETERMINED LATER.' WE HAVE LESS THAN 4 WKS TILL WE START SVC WITH A BRAND NEW ACFT, AND DATA IS STILL NOT AVAILABLE. THIS CLASS WAS INITIALLY NOT CERTIFIED BY THE FAA. TALKING WITH PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THE ORIGINAL NON-CERTIFIED CLASS AND THEN WERE IN THIS PARTICULAR CLASS SAY THEY WERE IDENTICAL. AFTER FINISHING THIS CLASS, AND KNOWING THAT IS THE ONLY TRNING WILL BE GIVEN PRIOR TO DEVELOPING A FLT RELEASE AND MAINTAINING OPERATIONAL CTL OF THIS ACFT FOR A TRIP FROM LAX-NRT, I FEEL I AM NOT QUALIFIED. ALL THE STUDENTS IN THIS CLASS AGREE WITH THIS ASSESSMENT. OUR FEELINGS HAVE BEEN MADE KNOWN TO MGMNT, SO NOW WE WILL WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: ACFT NOW IN SVC. OJT SO TO SPEAK HAS COVERED MOST ITEMS NOT COVERED IN TRNING CLASS. ADDITIONAL INFO AVAILABLE IN MANUALS PERTINENT TO ACFT TYPE.

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.