Narrative:

Flight XXX departed las en route for lax airport on ATC flight plan of idale 1 departure hector transition and then J64 to lax VOR. The airplane, a B737-300, was equipped with FMC that had only 1 FMC-CDU box located on the captain's side with no EFIS screens. After being handed off to socal approach control with autoplt engaged, we were told to expect mitts 1 arrival to runway 24R at lax airport. At this time, the captain began to input the mitts 1 arrival into the FMC CDU for runway 24R. At the same time socal approach control then instructed flight XXX to descend via mitts 1 arrival for runway 24R. The captain was still entering the arrival when I told him that he would need to descend right now in order to make the first altitude crossing restr. So he began the descent immediately for the first step-down fix. Meanwhile, because of a route discontinuity in FMC CDU box the next fix was not active and the airplane did not turn as required, in order to join the arrival procedure. I then noticed airplane was not turning because of discontinuity and told him we need to turn to join arrival. He selected heading select on MCP for autoplt and selected a heading to join arrival and close route discontinuity. At this time, approach control instructed us to turn also because the plane was deviating south of the desired arrival course. Captain turned airplane to 280 degree heading as instructed and rejoined arrival and then descended to 10000 ft MSL as instructed by socal approach. Approach control instructed us to turn in order to not have conflict with an aircraft on the south arrival procedure. We then asked socal if he wanted us to continue descent via mitts 1 arrival runway 24R. Socal instructed us to continue descent via mitts 1 arrival complying with rest of altitude restrs. Landed and taxied to the gate. Once established on the arrival again, we told socal approach that we did not have enough time to change route in FMC box and continue the descent as instructed. Socal approach said no problem. In summary, socal approach control needs to allow more time to change the arrival procedure in FMC CDU and more notice about expecting an arrival especially when given instructions to descend via the arrival shortly after saying to expect an arrival because it takes time to change the arrival procedure. Next time, we probably should query ATC of what to expect if not told sooner to allow more time for planning purposes. If given last min instructions by ATC, probably should ask for vector to have time to make changes to arrival procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CREW HAD TRACK AND ALTDEV ON A STAR INTO LAX.

Narrative: FLT XXX DEPARTED LAS ENRTE FOR LAX ARPT ON ATC FLT PLAN OF IDALE 1 DEP HECTOR TRANSITION AND THEN J64 TO LAX VOR. THE AIRPLANE, A B737-300, WAS EQUIPPED WITH FMC THAT HAD ONLY 1 FMC-CDU BOX LOCATED ON THE CAPT'S SIDE WITH NO EFIS SCREENS. AFTER BEING HANDED OFF TO SOCAL APCH CTL WITH AUTOPLT ENGAGED, WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT MITTS 1 ARR TO RWY 24R AT LAX ARPT. AT THIS TIME, THE CAPT BEGAN TO INPUT THE MITTS 1 ARR INTO THE FMC CDU FOR RWY 24R. AT THE SAME TIME SOCAL APCH CTL THEN INSTRUCTED FLT XXX TO DSND VIA MITTS 1 ARR FOR RWY 24R. THE CAPT WAS STILL ENTERING THE ARR WHEN I TOLD HIM THAT HE WOULD NEED TO DSND RIGHT NOW IN ORDER TO MAKE THE FIRST ALT XING RESTR. SO HE BEGAN THE DSCNT IMMEDIATELY FOR THE FIRST STEP-DOWN FIX. MEANWHILE, BECAUSE OF A RTE DISCONTINUITY IN FMC CDU BOX THE NEXT FIX WAS NOT ACTIVE AND THE AIRPLANE DID NOT TURN AS REQUIRED, IN ORDER TO JOIN THE ARR PROC. I THEN NOTICED AIRPLANE WAS NOT TURNING BECAUSE OF DISCONTINUITY AND TOLD HIM WE NEED TO TURN TO JOIN ARR. HE SELECTED HDG SELECT ON MCP FOR AUTOPLT AND SELECTED A HDG TO JOIN ARR AND CLOSE RTE DISCONTINUITY. AT THIS TIME, APCH CTL INSTRUCTED US TO TURN ALSO BECAUSE THE PLANE WAS DEVIATING S OF THE DESIRED ARR COURSE. CAPT TURNED AIRPLANE TO 280 DEG HDG AS INSTRUCTED AND REJOINED ARR AND THEN DSNDED TO 10000 FT MSL AS INSTRUCTED BY SOCAL APCH. APCH CTL INSTRUCTED US TO TURN IN ORDER TO NOT HAVE CONFLICT WITH AN ACFT ON THE S ARR PROC. WE THEN ASKED SOCAL IF HE WANTED US TO CONTINUE DSCNT VIA MITTS 1 ARR RWY 24R. SOCAL INSTRUCTED US TO CONTINUE DSCNT VIA MITTS 1 ARR COMPLYING WITH REST OF ALT RESTRS. LANDED AND TAXIED TO THE GATE. ONCE ESTABLISHED ON THE ARR AGAIN, WE TOLD SOCAL APCH THAT WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO CHANGE RTE IN FMC BOX AND CONTINUE THE DSCNT AS INSTRUCTED. SOCAL APCH SAID NO PROB. IN SUMMARY, SOCAL APCH CTL NEEDS TO ALLOW MORE TIME TO CHANGE THE ARR PROC IN FMC CDU AND MORE NOTICE ABOUT EXPECTING AN ARR ESPECIALLY WHEN GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO DSND VIA THE ARR SHORTLY AFTER SAYING TO EXPECT AN ARR BECAUSE IT TAKES TIME TO CHANGE THE ARR PROC. NEXT TIME, WE PROBABLY SHOULD QUERY ATC OF WHAT TO EXPECT IF NOT TOLD SOONER TO ALLOW MORE TIME FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. IF GIVEN LAST MIN INSTRUCTIONS BY ATC, PROBABLY SHOULD ASK FOR VECTOR TO HAVE TIME TO MAKE CHANGES TO ARR PROC.

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.