B777 captain expressed frustration toward sct for last min STAR changes into lax.

Attributes
ACN	633439
Time
Date	200410
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : civet
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : mitts
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	633439
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Company Airport ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : sct.tracon

Narrative:

Approximately 5 NM before civet expecting to fly the civet arrival or the reder we were switched to socal and immediately cleared for the mitts arrival. While we were trying to find the arrival in our books (disregard putting it in the FMS) socal wanted to know why we weren't descending (not more than 2 mins). I've been flying this trip all summer, and it's always the same situation even if we ask, we're always told by center that socal assigns the arrival. There is no reason why we shouldn't be able to plan ahead better than the current way. What's wrong with putting something on the ATIS to the effect of 'aircraft arriving over civet expect the civet arrival to runway 25L or the, arrival to runway 24R.' there are too many complicated arrs into lax to brief and be ready for them all in a matter of a couple of mins which is all we ever have with the switch over where it always is at civet.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 CAPT EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION TOWARD SCT FOR LAST MIN STAR CHANGES INTO LAX.

Narrative: APPROX 5 NM BEFORE CIVET EXPECTING TO FLY THE CIVET ARR OR THE REDER WE WERE SWITCHED TO SOCAL AND IMMEDIATELY CLRED FOR THE MITTS ARR. WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO FIND THE ARR IN OUR BOOKS (DISREGARD PUTTING IT IN THE FMS) SOCAL WANTED TO KNOW WHY WE WEREN'T DSNDING (NOT MORE THAN 2 MINS). I'VE BEEN FLYING THIS TRIP ALL SUMMER, AND IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME SIT EVEN IF WE ASK, WE'RE ALWAYS TOLD BY CTR THAT SOCAL ASSIGNS THE ARR. THERE IS NO REASON WHY WE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PLAN AHEAD BETTER THAN THE CURRENT WAY. WHAT'S WRONG WITH PUTTING SOMETHING ON THE ATIS TO THE EFFECT OF 'ACFT ARRIVING OVER CIVET EXPECT THE CIVET ARR TO RWY 25L OR THE, ARR TO RWY 24R.' THERE ARE TOO MANY COMPLICATED ARRS INTO LAX TO BRIEF AND BE READY FOR THEM ALL IN A MATTER OF A COUPLE OF MINS WHICH IS ALL WE EVER HAVE WITH THE SWITCH OVER WHERE IT ALWAYS IS AT CIVET.

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.