An air carrier check airman suggests that his air carrier allow pilots to fly practice RNAV approach...

Attributes
ACN	813194
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain observation : company check pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	813194
Events
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft ATC Facility
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Decided to fly the RNAV approach at ZZZ for crew proficiency. Other than captain; none of other 3 pilots had ever seen nor conducted an RNAV approach in the aircraft. RNAV approach was planned 2 days prior at briefing. Despite studying for the approach the first officer was still confused about all that an RNAV approach entails. We requested the RNAV Y. Controller cleared us the Z RNAV because he did not have latest revision. He was unfamiliar with one of the fixes on the approach and we had to spell it for him. He asked numerous questions on why we were conducting the approach. I got the impression that he had no training in RNAV approachs. He was surprised that we could shoot the approach when an ILS was off the air. He initially cleared us to intercept the localizer due to force of habit. At the B777 lca (line check airman) meeting it was mentioned that the company/FAA was looking at allowing IFR RNAV approachs. At this time I believe that this is not a good idea. There are a host of RNAV issues that are not approached in training. So we have crew members who are not aircraft proficient and controllers that are not proficient. This is a lethal combination. As a minimum the fleet should email pilots to start shooting approachs and pass lessons learned back to fleet. Every IOE should be required to shoot an RNAV approach if available.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIR CARRIER CHECK AIRMAN SUGGESTS THAT HIS AIR CARRIER ALLOW PILOTS TO FLY PRACTICE RNAV APPROACHES BECAUSE KNOWLEDGE OF AND PROFICIENCY AT THAT APPROACH TYPE IS LOW.

Narrative: DECIDED TO FLY THE RNAV APCH AT ZZZ FOR CREW PROFICIENCY. OTHER THAN CAPT; NONE OF OTHER 3 PLTS HAD EVER SEEN NOR CONDUCTED AN RNAV APCH IN THE ACFT. RNAV APCH WAS PLANNED 2 DAYS PRIOR AT BRIEFING. DESPITE STUDYING FOR THE APCH THE FO WAS STILL CONFUSED ABOUT ALL THAT AN RNAV APCH ENTAILS. WE REQUESTED THE RNAV Y. CTLR CLRED US THE Z RNAV BECAUSE HE DID NOT HAVE LATEST REVISION. HE WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH ONE OF THE FIXES ON THE APCH AND WE HAD TO SPELL IT FOR HIM. HE ASKED NUMEROUS QUESTIONS ON WHY WE WERE CONDUCTING THE APCH. I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT HE HAD NO TRAINING IN RNAV APCHS. HE WAS SURPRISED THAT WE COULD SHOOT THE APCH WHEN AN ILS WAS OFF THE AIR. HE INITIALLY CLRED US TO INTERCEPT THE LOC DUE TO FORCE OF HABIT. AT THE B777 LCA (LINE CHK AIRMAN) MEETING IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THE COMPANY/FAA WAS LOOKING AT ALLOWING IFR RNAV APCHS. AT THIS TIME I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. THERE ARE A HOST OF RNAV ISSUES THAT ARE NOT APCHED IN TRAINING. SO WE HAVE CREW MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT ACFT PROFICIENT AND CTLRS THAT ARE NOT PROFICIENT. THIS IS A LETHAL COMBINATION. AS A MINIMUM THE FLEET SHOULD EMAIL PLTS TO START SHOOTING APCHS AND PASS LESSONS LEARNED BACK TO FLEET. EVERY IOE SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO SHOOT AN RNAV APCH IF AVAILABLE.

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.

An air carrier check airman suggests that his air carrier allow pilots to fly practice RNAV approaches because knowledge of and proficiency at that approach type is low.