Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Time Pressure; Training / Qualification; Fatigue; Distraction; Workload; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Procedure; Human Factors; Company Policy
Flying the route from OMDB to Asia crosses several Radio/Radar Control sectors. These sectors; Kolkatta; Dhaka; Yangon all have sub standard radio equipment and radar. On a good day it is difficult at best to understand the controllers and comply with instructions. Total and intense concentration is required during a low circadian rhythm time for crew. We were scheduled for XA:38 on this leg with only two crew members; no RFO was on board. Complicated and involved instructions are now in place for crossing Yangon airspace. These instructions require both the pilot flying and pilot monitoring to handle radios at several designated fixes throughout the flight. Transmitting in the blind; monitoring blind frequency; monitoring 121.5 and having to call on VHF and HF frequencies; while occasionally relaying information for other aircraft makes for a very intense ATC environment. Had severe weather been in place the workload would have significantly increased as would the fatigue. This leg requires an RFO; period! Flight time is irrelevant due to the complicated ATC environment. The workload is unacceptable for a crew of 2. The pilot flying must take away from his duties and responsibility to assist with pilot monitoring issues; radio control and navigation.  Better company administration and instruction of complicated procedures needs to take priority and communicated to the flight crews in a timely manner. The instructions for this route are buried deep in the flight planning pages. This procedure is worthy of a company notice and needs to be highlighted to the crews.
A First Officer describes the extreme workload of a two man flight crew operating nearly 8 flight hours at night between the Middle East and Asia while communicating with controllers in poor English; at times on two frequencies.