Narrative:

Flight abc on may/sun/03, was my first flight on a converted air carrier X md-80. This flight occurred 6-7 months after completing differences training. Prior to the sequence I reviewed differences clearance delivery and the appropriate manuals. However, we still encountered some minor difficulty during the flight. Normal FMC procedures were pretty straightforward, but when using the FMC ACARS we encountered several problems. After requesting the appropriate pre-departure paperwork (ATIS, pre departure clearance, etc) the ACARS chime alerted continuously. We were finally able to silence the chime. Next, during taxi, when trying to request a load closeout, the chime alerted again. This time we were unable to silence it. I called mx and he told me that everything was working properly and that we needed to acknowledge the msgs on the screen of the FMC. Once we accomplished that the chiming ceased. Mx advised that we were ok for departure. This brings me to another area of error. The ignition systems of the two aircraft are different. Thus, procedurally turning on the ignition for takeoff occurs at different times. The problems encountered with the FMC ACARS during taxi distracted me and I fell back into a 'routine' habit pattern. On a native air carrier X aircraft the ignition would have already been on, plus while holding short of the runway number 1 for takeoff we would only have mechanical checklist items remaining. On the other aircraft, the ignition must be turned on 5 mins prior to takeoff, and the item is located on the paper taxi checklist. Being distracted and in an unfamiliar airplane caused me to forget to turn the ignition on for takeoff, which we realized when accomplishing the after takeoff checklist. We encountered more difficulty with the FMC ACARS during flight. We contacted mx en route and advised them of the problem with the ACARS and the ACARS printer. We entered the item in the maintenance log upon arrival in dfw. The flight was for the most part, uneventful. However, I had difficulty finding relevant information in the manual about the ACARS alert and how to silence it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD-80 FO NOTES DIFFICULTY HE IS HAVING WITH AIRPLANES ACQUIRED FROM ANOTHER ACR.

Narrative: FLT ABC ON MAY/SUN/03, WAS MY FIRST FLT ON A CONVERTED ACR X MD-80. THIS FLT OCCURRED 6-7 MONTHS AFTER COMPLETING DIFFERENCES TRAINING. PRIOR TO THE SEQUENCE I REVIEWED DIFFERENCES CD AND THE APPROPRIATE MANUALS. HOWEVER, WE STILL ENCOUNTERED SOME MINOR DIFFICULTY DURING THE FLT. NORMAL FMC PROCS WERE PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD, BUT WHEN USING THE FMC ACARS WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERAL PROBS. AFTER REQUESTING THE APPROPRIATE PRE-DEPARTURE PAPERWORK (ATIS, PDC, ETC) THE ACARS CHIME ALERTED CONTINUOUSLY. WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO SILENCE THE CHIME. NEXT, DURING TAXI, WHEN TRYING TO REQUEST A LOAD CLOSEOUT, THE CHIME ALERTED AGAIN. THIS TIME WE WERE UNABLE TO SILENCE IT. I CALLED MX AND HE TOLD ME THAT EVERYTHING WAS WORKING PROPERLY AND THAT WE NEEDED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MSGS ON THE SCREEN OF THE FMC. ONCE WE ACCOMPLISHED THAT THE CHIMING CEASED. MX ADVISED THAT WE WERE OK FOR DEP. THIS BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER AREA OF ERROR. THE IGNITION SYSTEMS OF THE TWO ACFT ARE DIFFERENT. THUS, PROCEDURALLY TURNING ON THE IGNITION FOR TKOF OCCURS AT DIFFERENT TIMES. THE PROBS ENCOUNTERED WITH THE FMC ACARS DURING TAXI DISTRACTED ME AND I FELL BACK INTO A 'ROUTINE' HABIT PATTERN. ON A NATIVE ACR X ACFT THE IGNITION WOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN ON, PLUS WHILE HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY NUMBER 1 FOR TKOF WE WOULD ONLY HAVE MECHANICAL CHKLIST ITEMS REMAINING. ON THE OTHER ACFT, THE IGNITION MUST BE TURNED ON 5 MINS PRIOR TO TKOF, AND THE ITEM IS LOCATED ON THE PAPER TAXI CHKLIST. BEING DISTRACTED AND IN AN UNFAMILIAR AIRPLANE CAUSED ME TO FORGET TO TURN THE IGNITION ON FOR TKOF, WHICH WE REALIZED WHEN ACCOMPLISHING THE AFTER TKOF CHKLIST. WE ENCOUNTERED MORE DIFFICULTY WITH THE FMC ACARS DURING FLT. WE CONTACTED MX ENRTE AND ADVISED THEM OF THE PROB WITH THE ACARS AND THE ACARS PRINTER. WE ENTERED THE ITEM IN THE MAINT LOG UPON ARR IN DFW. THE FLT WAS FOR THE MOST PART, UNEVENTFUL. HOWEVER, I HAD DIFFICULTY FINDING RELEVANT INFO IN THE MANUAL ABOUT THE ACARS ALERT AND HOW TO SILENCE IT.

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.