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B757-200 captain reports company is tailoring FMS databases to lowest fleet memory capability thus eliminating many commonly entered waypoints.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 664456 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200507 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : aml.vortac |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 12000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain observation : company check pilot oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 3500 |
| ASRS Report | 664456 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Company |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
Climbing out of bwi on vectors from ZDC; we were cleared as usual direct to ginya intersection. The new database has eliminated this and many other intxns that are used frequently to gain space. The fleet's fix is to build them with radials and distance. Of all the in-flight distrs so far; this is the one that concerns me most. We can't be heads down in thunderstorms while sterile cockpit building intxns we use all the time. We must put these waypoints back in the database as soon as possible. In the interim; we must list these to alert crews to build them while loading the FMC. What logic was used to remove points like ginya and eliot; that we use all the time; and leave in nowtn over central kansas that we will never use? This distraction in the cluttered east coast airway system will cause many peripheral problems.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B757-200 CAPT RPTS COMPANY IS TAILORING FMS DATABASES TO LOWEST FLEET MEMORY CAPABILITY THUS ELIMINATING MANY COMMONLY ENTERED WAYPOINTS.
Narrative: CLBING OUT OF BWI ON VECTORS FROM ZDC; WE WERE CLRED AS USUAL DIRECT TO GINYA INTXN. THE NEW DATABASE HAS ELIMINATED THIS AND MANY OTHER INTXNS THAT ARE USED FREQUENTLY TO GAIN SPACE. THE FLEET'S FIX IS TO BUILD THEM WITH RADIALS AND DISTANCE. OF ALL THE INFLT DISTRS SO FAR; THIS IS THE ONE THAT CONCERNS ME MOST. WE CAN'T BE HEADS DOWN IN TSTMS WHILE STERILE COCKPIT BUILDING INTXNS WE USE ALL THE TIME. WE MUST PUT THESE WAYPOINTS BACK IN THE DATABASE ASAP. IN THE INTERIM; WE MUST LIST THESE TO ALERT CREWS TO BUILD THEM WHILE LOADING THE FMC. WHAT LOGIC WAS USED TO REMOVE POINTS LIKE GINYA AND ELIOT; THAT WE USE ALL THE TIME; AND LEAVE IN NOWTN OVER CENTRAL KANSAS THAT WE WILL NEVER USE? THIS DISTR IN THE CLUTTERED EAST COAST AIRWAY SYS WILL CAUSE MANY PERIPHERAL PROBS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.