First officer on medium large transport protests design of radio volume control.

Attributes
ACN	182435
Time
Date	199106
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iow
State Reference	IA
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zau
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 280
ASRS Report	182435
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Missed radio call from ATC. No problem, call returned by captain. My concern is with the paddle type audio panels installed in aircraft. These panels have 2 vols, loud and off. They are easily knocked slightly causing communication with ATC to be lost. I consider this to be a hazard to safety. The company has acknowledged our complaints about these panels by installing the button type selector panels on the captain's side and the paddle type on the copilot's side. These paddle types are a poor design, hard to adjust and easily knocked out of adjustment, causing loss of communication. This has occurred several times. Please make recommendation that these panels also be replaced. It is especially frustrating when you find the better type installed in the observer's location. I have also expressed my concerns (along with many others) to the company with no real response, other than they are replacing all on captain's side.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO ON MLG PROTESTS DESIGN OF RADIO VOLUME CTL.

Narrative: MISSED RADIO CALL FROM ATC. NO PROB, CALL RETURNED BY CAPT. MY CONCERN IS WITH THE PADDLE TYPE AUDIO PANELS INSTALLED IN ACFT. THESE PANELS HAVE 2 VOLS, LOUD AND OFF. THEY ARE EASILY KNOCKED SLIGHTLY CAUSING COM WITH ATC TO BE LOST. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A HAZARD TO SAFETY. THE COMPANY HAS ACKNOWLEDGED OUR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE PANELS BY INSTALLING THE BUTTON TYPE SELECTOR PANELS ON THE CAPT'S SIDE AND THE PADDLE TYPE ON THE COPLT'S SIDE. THESE PADDLE TYPES ARE A POOR DESIGN, HARD TO ADJUST AND EASILY KNOCKED OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, CAUSING LOSS OF COM. THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. PLEASE MAKE RECOMMENDATION THAT THESE PANELS ALSO BE REPLACED. IT IS ESPECIALLY FRUSTRATING WHEN YOU FIND THE BETTER TYPE INSTALLED IN THE OBSERVER'S LOCATION. I HAVE ALSO EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS (ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS) TO THE COMPANY WITH NO REAL RESPONSE, OTHER THAN THEY ARE REPLACING ALL ON CAPT'S SIDE.

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.