Narrative:

My copilot was using a timer to time waypoint xings which were mandatory. The flight attendant complained that the timer could be heard in the passenger compartment and passenger were trying to sleep. We stopped using the timer. Moments before crossing the last mandatory reporting fix, the flight attendant came into the cockpit area and said that the passenger would like to sleep onboard the aircraft between our landing and next departure. We resolved the question and the flight attendant reported back to the passenger. It was then that we noticed having passed tigin intersection. We called anchorage. He said 'squawk X.' (this was the squawk assigned by last controller.) a few moments later he said squawk 'Y' (I may not be accurate on the second squawk assignment). I believe that his first request for 'X' was because he saw that squawk on his screen since we were entering a radar environment. At any rate, he sounded somewhat irritated when he requested the second squawk. He then said 'radar contact 14 mi west of tigin.' theoretically we were traveling at 7 mi per min and therefore were only 2 mins past tigin. Probably not a big deal but the controller's voice left me to believe he felt otherwise. I know of many pilots who use timers for reporting points (especially for xings). I feel that avionics (FMS) system should have an audible fix crossing alert that would: 1) ring until canceled by a crew member. 2) be activated or de-activated by the cockpit crew. Or have a programmable 'down-counter, timer' with alarm built into the system.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A GULFSTREAM G-IV FAILED TO RPT OVER A COMPULSORY RPTING POINT DUE TO DISTR OF CABIN ATTENDANT AND PAX COMPLAINT OF THE TIMER USED TO ALERT THE FLC OF THE RPTING POINT.

Narrative: MY COPLT WAS USING A TIMER TO TIME WAYPOINT XINGS WHICH WERE MANDATORY. THE FLT ATTENDANT COMPLAINED THAT THE TIMER COULD BE HEARD IN THE PAX COMPARTMENT AND PAX WERE TRYING TO SLEEP. WE STOPPED USING THE TIMER. MOMENTS BEFORE XING THE LAST MANDATORY RPTING FIX, THE FLT ATTENDANT CAME INTO THE COCKPIT AREA AND SAID THAT THE PAX WOULD LIKE TO SLEEP ONBOARD THE ACFT BTWN OUR LNDG AND NEXT DEP. WE RESOLVED THE QUESTION AND THE FLT ATTENDANT RPTED BACK TO THE PAX. IT WAS THEN THAT WE NOTICED HAVING PASSED TIGIN INTXN. WE CALLED ANCHORAGE. HE SAID 'SQUAWK X.' (THIS WAS THE SQUAWK ASSIGNED BY LAST CTLR.) A FEW MOMENTS LATER HE SAID SQUAWK 'Y' (I MAY NOT BE ACCURATE ON THE SECOND SQUAWK ASSIGNMENT). I BELIEVE THAT HIS FIRST REQUEST FOR 'X' WAS BECAUSE HE SAW THAT SQUAWK ON HIS SCREEN SINCE WE WERE ENTERING A RADAR ENVIRONMENT. AT ANY RATE, HE SOUNDED SOMEWHAT IRRITATED WHEN HE REQUESTED THE SECOND SQUAWK. HE THEN SAID 'RADAR CONTACT 14 MI W OF TIGIN.' THEORETICALLY WE WERE TRAVELING AT 7 MI PER MIN AND THEREFORE WERE ONLY 2 MINS PAST TIGIN. PROBABLY NOT A BIG DEAL BUT THE CTLR'S VOICE LEFT ME TO BELIEVE HE FELT OTHERWISE. I KNOW OF MANY PLTS WHO USE TIMERS FOR RPTING POINTS (ESPECIALLY FOR XINGS). I FEEL THAT AVIONICS (FMS) SYS SHOULD HAVE AN AUDIBLE FIX XING ALERT THAT WOULD: 1) RING UNTIL CANCELED BY A CREW MEMBER. 2) BE ACTIVATED OR DE-ACTIVATED BY THE COCKPIT CREW. OR HAVE A PROGRAMMABLE 'DOWN-COUNTER, TIMER' WITH ALARM BUILT INTO THE SYS.

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.