Air carrier medium large transport track heading deviation on vector departure from bwi.

Attributes
ACN	179231
Time
Date	199105
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aml
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : j149
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	179231
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 8000
ASRS Report	179371
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight may/xx/91 bwi-ord. Departed bwi from runway 15R. Our clearance was flying runway heading at 4000 ft. After liftoff the tower said turn right to 330 degrees at 1 NM DME. Our aircraft was a glass cockpit and this entailed switching navigation system, which we did. We were vectored and given continuous climbs and turns using both IRS and radio system for navigation. By controllers using this type of control it increases the workload of a 2- man crew very much. Our clearance to get on the flight plan was maintain heading 230 degrees intercept J149 geffs on course. By switching navigation system back and forth we did not switch to LNAV this time and overshot the airway (J149) by about 5 NM. The controller gave us a heading direct to geffs and no report of a traffic conflict. The problem is shifting navigation system and high cockpit workload at low altitude. After takeoff checklist, switching radio frequency, tuning navigation radio frequency, changing airspeed, heading changes, altitude changes. This type of control is becoming the SOP instead of less work the glass cockpit has become more work because many controllers do not understand the glass cockpit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TRACK HDG DEV ON VECTOR DEP FROM BWI.

Narrative: FLT MAY/XX/91 BWI-ORD. DEPARTED BWI FROM RWY 15R. OUR CLRNC WAS FLYING RWY HDG AT 4000 FT. AFTER LIFTOFF THE TWR SAID TURN R TO 330 DEGS AT 1 NM DME. OUR ACFT WAS A GLASS COCKPIT AND THIS ENTAILED SWITCHING NAV SYS, WHICH WE DID. WE WERE VECTORED AND GIVEN CONTINUOUS CLBS AND TURNS USING BOTH IRS AND RADIO SYS FOR NAV. BY CTLRS USING THIS TYPE OF CTL IT INCREASES THE WORKLOAD OF A 2- MAN CREW VERY MUCH. OUR CLRNC TO GET ON THE FLT PLAN WAS MAINTAIN HDG 230 DEGS INTERCEPT J149 GEFFS ON COURSE. BY SWITCHING NAV SYS BACK AND FORTH WE DID NOT SWITCH TO LNAV THIS TIME AND OVERSHOT THE AIRWAY (J149) BY ABOUT 5 NM. THE CTLR GAVE US A HDG DIRECT TO GEFFS AND NO RPT OF A TFC CONFLICT. THE PROBLEM IS SHIFTING NAV SYS AND HIGH COCKPIT WORKLOAD AT LOW ALT. AFTER TKOF CHKLIST, SWITCHING RADIO FREQ, TUNING NAV RADIO FREQ, CHANGING AIRSPD, HDG CHANGES, ALT CHANGES. THIS TYPE OF CTL IS BECOMING THE SOP INSTEAD OF LESS WORK THE GLASS COCKPIT HAS BECOME MORE WORK BECAUSE MANY CTLRS DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE GLASS COCKPIT.

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.