B757 crew was issued excessive STAR changes on arrival to lax.

Attributes
ACN	442051
Time
Date	199907
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : pdz3
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 9875 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	442051
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	442359
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airport Airspace Structure FAA
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

We had programmed the FMS to have civet 4 to runway 25L in route 1 and the mitts 1 to runway 24R in route 2. Clearance was changed to pdz 3 STAR to runway 25L. While flying this, clearance amended to runway 24R. Tried to manually insert these, supai and mitts waypoints, but these kept dropping off the route -- they were so close together that we were flying past them as quickly as we could type them into the box. We asked approach for a heading and altitude (until we could get the FMS reprogrammed). We normally expect runway 25L with the possibility of runway 24R. With hindsight, a better technique would be to simultaneously program the pdz 3 to runway 24R into route 2, as soon as we are cleared for the pdz 3 to runway 25L.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CREW WAS ISSUED EXCESSIVE STAR CHANGES ON ARR TO LAX.

Narrative: WE HAD PROGRAMMED THE FMS TO HAVE CIVET 4 TO RWY 25L IN RTE 1 AND THE MITTS 1 TO RWY 24R IN RTE 2. CLRNC WAS CHANGED TO PDZ 3 STAR TO RWY 25L. WHILE FLYING THIS, CLRNC AMENDED TO RWY 24R. TRIED TO MANUALLY INSERT THESE, SUPAI AND MITTS WAYPOINTS, BUT THESE KEPT DROPPING OFF THE RTE -- THEY WERE SO CLOSE TOGETHER THAT WE WERE FLYING PAST THEM AS QUICKLY AS WE COULD TYPE THEM INTO THE BOX. WE ASKED APCH FOR A HDG AND ALT (UNTIL WE COULD GET THE FMS REPROGRAMMED). WE NORMALLY EXPECT RWY 25L WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF RWY 24R. WITH HINDSIGHT, A BETTER TECHNIQUE WOULD BE TO SIMULTANEOUSLY PROGRAM THE PDZ 3 TO RWY 24R INTO RTE 2, AS SOON AS WE ARE CLRED FOR THE PDZ 3 TO RWY 25L.

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.