Narrative:

SELCAL listening watch in caribbean. In a paragraph in the flight manual under the operational information tab, there is a sentence that states that all flts will maintain a SELCAL HF or VHF listening watch. In 6 yrs of flying the caribbean with many pilots as well as check airmen, I have yet to see this complied with. The only exception is sju to phl or ewr. I have also never heard of a dispatcher contacting an airplane in the caribbean with SELCAL, as ACARS coverage is pretty universal. I think that this requirement should be deleted for the following reasons: 1) no one that I know of abides by this requirement, 2) check airmen don't teach it, and 3) because I believe that having regulations that are not adhered to is corrosive. The requirement should state that in the absence of ACARS coverage a SELCAL watch should be maintained. To be practical, since occasional loss of contact can occur, I suggest that a time limit be placed upon this. For instance if you are out of ACARS coverage for more than 10 mins, then a SELCAL watch will be maintained.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PLT QUESTIONS OPS MANUAL THAT DOES NOT REFLECT ACTUAL OPERATIONAL SIT.

Narrative: SELCAL LISTENING WATCH IN CARIBBEAN. IN A PARAGRAPH IN THE FLT MANUAL UNDER THE OPERATIONAL INFO TAB, THERE IS A SENTENCE THAT STATES THAT ALL FLTS WILL MAINTAIN A SELCAL HF OR VHF LISTENING WATCH. IN 6 YRS OF FLYING THE CARIBBEAN WITH MANY PLTS AS WELL AS CHK AIRMEN, I HAVE YET TO SEE THIS COMPLIED WITH. THE ONLY EXCEPTION IS SJU TO PHL OR EWR. I HAVE ALSO NEVER HEARD OF A DISPATCHER CONTACTING AN AIRPLANE IN THE CARIBBEAN WITH SELCAL, AS ACARS COVERAGE IS PRETTY UNIVERSAL. I THINK THAT THIS REQUIREMENT SHOULD BE DELETED FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: 1) NO ONE THAT I KNOW OF ABIDES BY THIS REQUIREMENT, 2) CHK AIRMEN DON'T TEACH IT, AND 3) BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT HAVING REGS THAT ARE NOT ADHERED TO IS CORROSIVE. THE REQUIREMENT SHOULD STATE THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF ACARS COVERAGE A SELCAL WATCH SHOULD BE MAINTAINED. TO BE PRACTICAL, SINCE OCCASIONAL LOSS OF CONTACT CAN OCCUR, I SUGGEST THAT A TIME LIMIT BE PLACED UPON THIS. FOR INSTANCE IF YOU ARE OUT OF ACARS COVERAGE FOR MORE THAN 10 MINS, THEN A SELCAL WATCH WILL BE MAINTAINED.

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.