B747-400 captain reports numerous communications problems on polar routes over canada and russia.

Attributes
ACN	800996
Time
Date	200808
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzzz.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 34000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	800996
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Environmental Factor FAA Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

Unable sfo HF ldoc on polar route and in russia. Unable to comply with flight manual requirement to call sfo ldoc each 90 mins. Called sfo on satcom to ensure what HF frequencys to use. None work over pole and this far inland in russia. Collins tells me that their HF is not designed to work under such terrain conditions. Long-term problem and now we have an FAA inspector giving a line check insisting on the crew fulfilling this. Flight manual requirement that on many russian rtes defies the science of HF radio capability. Unable HF gander; alert and sfo ldoc at omeka intersection; n78w141. Satcom zan to file PIREP of lost communication and relay position report to gander. File mrm for defective hd equipment. Notify dispatch. Satcom inoperative voice and data n75w113. No ACARS or ads edmonton. File mrm for defective satcom as this location is not in published satcom airspace shadow where satcom is unusable. Notify dispatch when able. HF inoperative n76w116 until n77w124. Unable gander; alert; sfo ldoc. Filed mrm. Continuing long-term problem of NORDO in polar operations. Could someone please try to remedy this situation so that the crew can comply with the law and remain in communication at all times. It seems the FAA is out chasing pilot licenses on line checks regarding remaining in communication contact. Can the flight operations administration please help us obtain better communication capability? Thank you.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-400 CAPTAIN REPORTS NUMEROUS COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEMS ON POLAR ROUTES OVER CANADA AND RUSSIA.

Narrative: UNABLE SFO HF LDOC ON POLAR RTE AND IN RUSSIA. UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH FLT MANUAL REQUIREMENT TO CALL SFO LDOC EACH 90 MINS. CALLED SFO ON SATCOM TO ENSURE WHAT HF FREQS TO USE. NONE WORK OVER POLE AND THIS FAR INLAND IN RUSSIA. COLLINS TELLS ME THAT THEIR HF IS NOT DESIGNED TO WORK UNDER SUCH TERRAIN CONDITIONS. LONG-TERM PROB AND NOW WE HAVE AN FAA INSPECTOR GIVING A LINE CHK INSISTING ON THE CREW FULFILLING THIS. FLT MANUAL REQUIREMENT THAT ON MANY RUSSIAN RTES DEFIES THE SCIENCE OF HF RADIO CAPABILITY. UNABLE HF GANDER; ALERT AND SFO LDOC AT OMEKA INTXN; N78W141. SATCOM ZAN TO FILE PIREP OF LOST COM AND RELAY POS RPT TO GANDER. FILE MRM FOR DEFECTIVE HD EQUIP. NOTIFY DISPATCH. SATCOM INOP VOICE AND DATA N75W113. NO ACARS OR ADS EDMONTON. FILE MRM FOR DEFECTIVE SATCOM AS THIS LOCATION IS NOT IN PUBLISHED SATCOM AIRSPACE SHADOW WHERE SATCOM IS UNUSABLE. NOTIFY DISPATCH WHEN ABLE. HF INOP N76W116 UNTIL N77W124. UNABLE GANDER; ALERT; SFO LDOC. FILED MRM. CONTINUING LONG-TERM PROB OF NORDO IN POLAR OPS. COULD SOMEONE PLEASE TRY TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION SO THAT THE CREW CAN COMPLY WITH THE LAW AND REMAIN IN COM AT ALL TIMES. IT SEEMS THE FAA IS OUT CHASING PLT LICENSES ON LINE CHKS REGARDING REMAINING IN COM CONTACT. CAN THE FLT OPS ADMINISTRATION PLEASE HELP US OBTAIN BETTER COM CAPABILITY? THANK YOU.

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.