Narrative:

While we were being vectored on the downwind for the ILS; approach issued us a clearance to descend to 3;000. The first officer could not hear ATC at first; because she was monitoring the operations frequency on another VHF; as required by company procedure. We asked approach to repeat the clearance and turned the volume down on operations for the rest of that flight.1. Do not require monitoring of operations during sterile cockpit. During this time; if you need to get hold of us; then it's an emergency; and in an emergency it's perfectly appropriate to relay through ATC. If it's not an emergency; why are you calling us during sterile cockpit? 2. Establish other channels for contact. Instead of requiring us to filter ATC's instructions out from all the people asking about lavatory services; windshield washes; crewmember eating breaks; and all the hundreds of other things discussed on operations that have nothing to do with our flight; perhaps ACARS might be something to consider.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air Carrier Captain laments his Company's requirement to monitor operations frequency at all times and believes that it is a violation of the sterile cockpit requirement.

Narrative: While we were being vectored on the downwind for the ILS; Approach issued us a clearance to descend to 3;000. The First Officer could not hear ATC at first; because she was monitoring the Operations frequency on another VHF; as required by Company procedure. We asked Approach to repeat the clearance and turned the volume down on Operations for the rest of that flight.1. Do not require monitoring of Operations during sterile cockpit. During this time; if you need to get hold of us; then it's an emergency; and in an emergency it's perfectly appropriate to relay through ATC. If it's not an emergency; why are you calling us during sterile cockpit? 2. Establish other channels for contact. Instead of requiring us to filter ATC's instructions out from all the people asking about lavatory services; windshield washes; crewmember eating breaks; and all the hundreds of other things discussed on Operations that have NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR FLIGHT; perhaps ACARS might be something to consider.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.