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A319 flight crew identifies the eldee arrival into dca to be a demanding STAR. The numerous crossing restrictions place an abnormally high workload on the flight crews.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 771011 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200801 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dca.airport |
| State Reference | DC |
| Altitude | msl single value : 15000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pct.tracon artcc : zzz.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | arrival star : eldee |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 771011 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Chart Or Publication |
| Situations | |
| Chart | star : eldee |
Narrative:
The eldee two RNAV arrival requires aggressive aircraft maneuvering to make all altitude and airspeed constraints. I have flown this approach 3 times now and each time with a strong tailwind. The step-down fixes are too close together and too numerous. In the airbus; especially with its soft leveloffs and dscnts; it is a difficult challenge for pilots to comply with this STAR. Every time I have flown the approach I have had to fly the aircraft manually and use full speed brakes to make the restrs. This STAR is not safe because it demands too high a workload on the pilots.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A319 FLT CREW IDENTIFIES THE ELDEE ARRIVAL INTO DCA TO BE A DEMANDING STAR. THE NUMEROUS CROSSING RESTRICTIONS PLACE AN ABNORMALLY HIGH WORKLOAD ON THE FLT CREWS.
Narrative: THE ELDEE TWO RNAV ARR REQUIRES AGGRESSIVE ACFT MANEUVERING TO MAKE ALL ALT AND AIRSPD CONSTRAINTS. I HAVE FLOWN THIS APCH 3 TIMES NOW AND EACH TIME WITH A STRONG TAILWIND. THE STEP-DOWN FIXES ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER AND TOO NUMEROUS. IN THE AIRBUS; ESPECIALLY WITH ITS SOFT LEVELOFFS AND DSCNTS; IT IS A DIFFICULT CHALLENGE FOR PLTS TO COMPLY WITH THIS STAR. EVERY TIME I HAVE FLOWN THE APCH I HAVE HAD TO FLY THE ACFT MANUALLY AND USE FULL SPD BRAKES TO MAKE THE RESTRS. THIS STAR IS NOT SAFE BECAUSE IT DEMANDS TOO HIGH A WORKLOAD ON THE PLTS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.