Narrative:

I do not feel adequately qualified as a cargo supervisor or monitor of containers, as I have not had formal training and lack any training aids or guidelines to specify what constitutes an airworthy or unairworthy can. I feel by requiring the crew to stand around for 20 mins to watch loading we are delaying our other pilot functions, especially during the first flight of the night. Once a mechanical delays the plane, then it is nearly impossible to get back on schedule because for each flight the crew is mandated to stay and watch loading that continues to keep them from being timely on paperwork, setting up for a flight, etc. Because of this, toward the end of the night I feel my performance degrades because I barely have time to leave the aircraft for a pit stop or just to walk around and relax. I feel trained cargo loaders and planners would be best suited to supervise loading and inspect containers as they are familiar with all aspects of loading and deal directly with the cans, pallets, and are able to know what constitutes what is airworthy or not. The pilots now seem to add tension for the cargo workers while a trained cargo supervisor that monitors loading would encourage a safe operation through example and mentoring.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CAPT FOR CARGO OP ADVISES THE COMPANY HAS NOT PROVIDED FLT CREWS WITH THE TRAINING NECESSARY TO FULFILL THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES REGARDING THE SUITABILITY OF CARGO LOADED ON THEIR ACFT. IS CONCERNED THAT IN ADDITION TO A LACK OF COMPETENCE IN THIS AREA, THE EXTRA WORKLOAD IS RESULTING IN A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON FLT CREW'S ABILITIES TO DO THEIR PRIMARY TASKS IN A SAFE, EFFICIENT MANNER.

Narrative: I DO NOT FEEL ADEQUATELY QUALIFIED AS A CARGO SUPVR OR MONITOR OF CONTAINERS, AS I HAVE NOT HAD FORMAL TRAINING AND LACK ANY TRAINING AIDS OR GUIDELINES TO SPECIFY WHAT CONSTITUTES AN AIRWORTHY OR UNAIRWORTHY CAN. I FEEL BY REQUIRING THE CREW TO STAND AROUND FOR 20 MINS TO WATCH LOADING WE ARE DELAYING OUR OTHER PLT FUNCTIONS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE FIRST FLT OF THE NIGHT. ONCE A MECHANICAL DELAYS THE PLANE, THEN IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET BACK ON SCHEDULE BECAUSE FOR EACH FLT THE CREW IS MANDATED TO STAY AND WATCH LOADING THAT CONTINUES TO KEEP THEM FROM BEING TIMELY ON PAPERWORK, SETTING UP FOR A FLT, ETC. BECAUSE OF THIS, TOWARD THE END OF THE NIGHT I FEEL MY PERFORMANCE DEGRADES BECAUSE I BARELY HAVE TIME TO LEAVE THE ACFT FOR A PIT STOP OR JUST TO WALK AROUND AND RELAX. I FEEL TRAINED CARGO LOADERS AND PLANNERS WOULD BE BEST SUITED TO SUPERVISE LOADING AND INSPECT CONTAINERS AS THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH ALL ASPECTS OF LOADING AND DEAL DIRECTLY WITH THE CANS, PALLETS, AND ARE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT CONSTITUTES WHAT IS AIRWORTHY OR NOT. THE PLTS NOW SEEM TO ADD TENSION FOR THE CARGO WORKERS WHILE A TRAINED CARGO SUPVR THAT MONITORS LOADING WOULD ENCOURAGE A SAFE OP THROUGH EXAMPLE AND MENTORING.

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.