Narrative:

FMS deferred but operational for navigational purposes. PF in pink needles; pm in green needles with charts out to verify position and fixes. Were filed an RNAV approach (OJAYY1) into dca with FMS deferred. When issued a direct to a waypoint; I; as the pm; declined and told ATC we can only fly to fixes that can be identified by VOR/DME or VOR/VOR as our primary navigation were raw data in accordance with MEL when FMS deferred. Had a discussion with ATC about our equipment code. I was unsure; as the new release format does not include /west or /Q for example. Acarsed dispatch asking about our equipment code. It turned out we were filed /Q (or the equivalent in the new format) with FMS deferred. The next controller asked me for equipment code and if we could accept OJAYY1 arrival. I asked him to stand by as I was texting with dispatch to figure out the new code. I quoted ATC the new code: sdrwz/south (no 'G' for FMS out). He had no clue what that meant and wanted to know; if I was /west. I told him no; I repeated the long new code. He got angry and asked (yelling) me: 'captain; can you not fly a clearance that you previously accepted.' I said yes; we cannot accept OJAYY1. He issued IRONS4 and we flew it. No further disruptions. Several issues here: 1) we accepted a clearance for an RNAV arrival with the FMS deferred. My mistake. I assume responsibility for that. 2) dispatch should not file for RNAV departures or arrivals with the FMS deferred. 3) dispatch should code the equipment in accordance with deferrals on the airplane. I called dispatch afterwards to tell them to change the equipment code on our aircraft for subsequent flights until the FMS is recommissioned. 4) our release should still carry the old equivalent NAS code until controllers are trained in the ICAO format. The controller had no idea about the new ICAO codes. 5) we should include a code legend in our fom. The bulletin has only an example. We need to know what the code is for FMS deferred for example (and so should the controllers).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW DESCRIBED EVENT WHEN ZDC CTLR WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH NEW ICAO ACFT EQUIP SUFFIX.

Narrative: FMS DEFERRED BUT OPERATIONAL FOR NAVIGATIONAL PURPOSES. PF IN PINK NEEDLES; PM IN GREEN NEEDLES WITH CHARTS OUT TO VERIFY POSITION AND FIXES. WERE FILED AN RNAV APPROACH (OJAYY1) INTO DCA WITH FMS DEFERRED. WHEN ISSUED A DIRECT TO A WAYPOINT; I; AS THE PM; DECLINED AND TOLD ATC WE CAN ONLY FLY TO FIXES THAT CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY VOR/DME OR VOR/VOR AS OUR PRIMARY NAVIGATION WERE RAW DATA IAW MEL WHEN FMS DEFERRED. HAD A DISCUSSION WITH ATC ABOUT OUR EQUIPMENT CODE. I WAS UNSURE; AS THE NEW RELEASE FORMAT DOES NOT INCLUDE /W OR /Q FOR EXAMPLE. ACARSED DISPATCH ASKING ABOUT OUR EQUIPMENT CODE. IT TURNED OUT WE WERE FILED /Q (OR THE EQUIVALENT IN THE NEW FORMAT) WITH FMS DEFERRED. THE NEXT CONTROLLER ASKED ME FOR EQUIPMENT CODE AND IF WE COULD ACCEPT OJAYY1 ARRIVAL. I ASKED HIM TO STAND BY AS I WAS TEXTING WITH DISPATCH TO FIGURE OUT THE NEW CODE. I QUOTED ATC THE NEW CODE: SDRWZ/S (NO 'G' FOR FMS OUT). HE HAD NO CLUE WHAT THAT MEANT AND WANTED TO KNOW; IF I WAS /W. I TOLD HIM NO; I REPEATED THE LONG NEW CODE. HE GOT ANGRY AND ASKED (YELLING) ME: 'CAPTAIN; CAN YOU NOT FLY A CLEARANCE THAT YOU PREVIOUSLY ACCEPTED.' I SAID YES; WE CANNOT ACCEPT OJAYY1. HE ISSUED IRONS4 AND WE FLEW IT. NO FURTHER DISRUPTIONS. SEVERAL ISSUES HERE: 1) WE ACCEPTED A CLEARANCE FOR AN RNAV ARRIVAL WITH THE FMS DEFERRED. MY MISTAKE. I ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT. 2) DISPATCH SHOULD NOT FILE FOR RNAV DEPARTURES OR ARRIVALS WITH THE FMS DEFERRED. 3) DISPATCH SHOULD CODE THE EQUIPMENT IAW DEFERRALS ON THE AIRPLANE. I CALLED DISPATCH AFTERWARDS TO TELL THEM TO CHANGE THE EQUIPMENT CODE ON OUR ACFT FOR SUBSEQUENT FLIGHTS UNTIL THE FMS IS RECOMMISSIONED. 4) OUR RELEASE SHOULD STILL CARRY THE OLD EQUIVALENT NAS CODE UNTIL CONTROLLERS ARE TRAINED IN THE ICAO FORMAT. THE CONTROLLER HAD NO IDEA ABOUT THE NEW ICAO CODES. 5) WE SHOULD INCLUDE A CODE LEGEND IN OUR FOM. THE BULLETIN HAS ONLY AN EXAMPLE. WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE CODE IS FOR FMS DEFERRED FOR EXAMPLE (AND SO SHOULD THE CONTROLLERS).

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.