Narrative:

Pcx VOR inoperative and not listed as such in sbgl NOTAMS. This is about my 6TH occurrence of same problem. Pcx VOR is critical for engine out procedure for runway 15 departure; and a non GPS aircraft (767-300) according to 767 fom (there are exceptions for other; GPS equipment aircraft). Same problem in sbgr a few weeks ago with rde out of service. For our aircraft and IFR-night; raw data must work. Further; we only train engine out procedures to be flown an approved IFR procedure; and not VFR (as dispatch suggests here is ok). I test the engine out procedure VOR needed before each flight in sa. Then ask tower if VOR is operational. It was not. Usually; if it doesn't test at ramp; VOR is not working. In each occurrence this has happened to me; dispatch or the duty manager advise me that fom requirement does not apply to this case and that I can waive. Here is the ACARS message: message from dispatch -- understand. Will talk to duty manager. Can you use NAVAID OTS procedure as per XXX? Thanks. Combine ACARS message with the fact that every other 767 taking off that day departed with no delay. Or even any questions about the VOR being functional...despite my interrogating sbgl clearance loud and clear while others were waiting to get their clrncs. To my knowledge; we were the only airplane that day that stayed and took a 2+ hour delay while our engineering office got a new T procedure. Do other airplanes have different fom requirements? They are 767's just like us. Perhaps they have GPS. I don't know. Our fom says clearly that we cannot go unless VOR is operational; unless pilot can 'guarantee visual separation from all terrain.' how can I do that at night at IFR/rain? This is really a bad fom! It really is opening a door to trouble. And I will not take it. There is a lot of dangerous and high terrain in sbgl. Should an engine ever fail here or sbgr; I will predict there that the key VOR will may not be working; and two very confused pilots trying to figure out a plan B at a very bad time. In fact; three sbgl VOR's were not working that night. Question: what is the airplane navigating on now? Perhaps one VOR 30 miles from airport? That is all I could see. This stuff needs to be in the company NOTAMS...not just in the 'brazilian ATIS (hard to hear) or NOTAMS.' clearly; the brazilians knew about it when we asked them if the pcx VOR was operational. It was in the ATIS as well. Tower said it has been out 'many days.' why was it not in our paperwork? What were all the previous flts doing for a T procedure? Something I think about a lot on these dark rainy nights.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-300 FLT CREW DISCOVERED THAT THE VOR NECESSARY FOR NAVIGATING THE ENG OUT PROC AT SBGL WAS OUT OF SVC. THIS INFO WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NOTAMS.

Narrative: PCX VOR INOP AND NOT LISTED AS SUCH IN SBGL NOTAMS. THIS IS ABOUT MY 6TH OCCURRENCE OF SAME PROBLEM. PCX VOR IS CRITICAL FOR ENGINE OUT PROC FOR RWY 15 DEP; AND A NON GPS ACFT (767-300) ACCORDING TO 767 FOM (THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS FOR OTHER; GPS EQUIP ACFT). SAME PROBLEM IN SBGR A FEW WEEKS AGO WITH RDE OUT OF SERVICE. FOR OUR ACFT AND IFR-NIGHT; RAW DATA MUST WORK. FURTHER; WE ONLY TRAIN ENGINE OUT PROCS TO BE FLOWN AN APPROVED IFR PROC; AND NOT VFR (AS DISPATCH SUGGESTS HERE IS OK). I TEST THE ENGINE OUT PROC VOR NEEDED BEFORE EACH FLT IN SA. THEN ASK TOWER IF VOR IS OPERATIONAL. IT WAS NOT. USUALLY; IF IT DOESN'T TEST AT RAMP; VOR IS NOT WORKING. IN EACH OCCURRENCE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME; DISPATCH OR THE DUTY MGR ADVISE ME THAT FOM REQUIREMENT DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS CASE AND THAT I CAN WAIVE. HERE IS THE ACARS MESSAGE: MESSAGE FROM DISPATCH -- UNDERSTAND. WILL TALK TO DUTY MGR. CAN YOU USE NAVAID OTS PROCEDURE AS PER XXX? THANKS. COMBINE ACARS MESSAGE WITH THE FACT THAT EVERY OTHER 767 TAKING OFF THAT DAY DEPARTED WITH NO DELAY. OR EVEN ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VOR BEING FUNCTIONAL...DESPITE MY INTERROGATING SBGL CLRNC LOUD AND CLEAR WHILE OTHERS WERE WAITING TO GET THEIR CLRNCS. TO MY KNOWLEDGE; WE WERE THE ONLY AIRPLANE THAT DAY THAT STAYED AND TOOK A 2+ HOUR DELAY WHILE OUR ENGINEERING OFFICE GOT A NEW T PROCEDURE. DO OTHER AIRPLANES HAVE DIFFERENT FOM REQUIREMENTS? THEY ARE 767'S JUST LIKE US. PERHAPS THEY HAVE GPS. I DON'T KNOW. OUR FOM SAYS CLEARLY THAT WE CANNOT GO UNLESS VOR IS OPERATIONAL; UNLESS PLT CAN 'GUARANTEE VISUAL SEPARATION FROM ALL TERRAIN.' HOW CAN I DO THAT AT NIGHT AT IFR/RAIN? THIS IS REALLY A BAD FOM! IT REALLY IS OPENING A DOOR TO TROUBLE. AND I WILL NOT TAKE IT. THERE IS A LOT OF DANGEROUS AND HIGH TERRAIN IN SBGL. SHOULD AN ENGINE EVER FAIL HERE OR SBGR; I WILL PREDICT THERE THAT THE KEY VOR WILL MAY NOT BE WORKING; AND TWO VERY CONFUSED PLTS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A PLAN B AT A VERY BAD TIME. IN FACT; THREE SBGL VOR'S WERE NOT WORKING THAT NIGHT. QUESTION: WHAT IS THE AIRPLANE NAVIGATING ON NOW? PERHAPS ONE VOR 30 MILES FROM ARPT? THAT IS ALL I COULD SEE. THIS STUFF NEEDS TO BE IN THE COMPANY NOTAMS...NOT JUST IN THE 'BRAZILIAN ATIS (HARD TO HEAR) OR NOTAMS.' CLEARLY; THE BRAZILIANS KNEW ABOUT IT WHEN WE ASKED THEM IF THE PCX VOR WAS OPERATIONAL. IT WAS IN THE ATIS AS WELL. TOWER SAID IT HAS BEEN OUT 'MANY DAYS.' WHY WAS IT NOT IN OUR PAPERWORK? WHAT WERE ALL THE PREVIOUS FLTS DOING FOR A T PROCEDURE? SOMETHING I THINK ABOUT A LOT ON THESE DARK RAINY NIGHTS.

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.