B777 pilot is concerned with pushback taxi procedures at ZZZ.

Attributes
ACN	556754
Time
Date	200208
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	556754
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

ZZZ is presently conducting tests of the possible use of data link taxi clrncs from air carrier X terminals. My experience over the test period to date (12 months) is as follows: 1) this process requires too much 'heads down' time fiddling with the data display during critical phases of taxi. 2) since voice back-up is required most often, the data link clearance is changed completely or amended by ground control. So the pilots have just digested and briefed a procedure which is subsequently changed -- adding to confusion. Suggestions: 1) eliminate this procedure -- it is neither safe nor efficient. 2) don't change data link messages unless there is a commanding need. 3) go to 'published' canned rtes. Comment: my experience is that these procedures are cumbersome and distracting. Let's crush this egg before it hatches into a beast.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 PLT IS CONCERNED WITH PUSHBACK TAXI PROCS AT ZZZ.

Narrative: ZZZ IS PRESENTLY CONDUCTING TESTS OF THE POSSIBLE USE OF DATA LINK TAXI CLRNCS FROM ACR X TERMINALS. MY EXPERIENCE OVER THE TEST PERIOD TO DATE (12 MONTHS) IS AS FOLLOWS: 1) THIS PROCESS REQUIRES TOO MUCH 'HEADS DOWN' TIME FIDDLING WITH THE DATA DISPLAY DURING CRITICAL PHASES OF TAXI. 2) SINCE VOICE BACK-UP IS REQUIRED MOST OFTEN, THE DATA LINK CLRNC IS CHANGED COMPLETELY OR AMENDED BY GND CTL. SO THE PLTS HAVE JUST DIGESTED AND BRIEFED A PROC WHICH IS SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGED -- ADDING TO CONFUSION. SUGGESTIONS: 1) ELIMINATE THIS PROC -- IT IS NEITHER SAFE NOR EFFICIENT. 2) DON'T CHANGE DATA LINK MESSAGES UNLESS THERE IS A COMMANDING NEED. 3) GO TO 'PUBLISHED' CANNED RTES. COMMENT: MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT THESE PROCS ARE CUMBERSOME AND DISTRACTING. LET'S CRUSH THIS EGG BEFORE IT HATCHES INTO A BEAST.

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.