B747-400
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human-Machine Interface; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Chart Or Publication; Airport; Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
The labels of the STARS in the FMC for PEK (ZBAA) have NO relation to the names of the STARS in the Jeppesen (JEPP) book. PEK approach issues STARS by the labels in the Jepp book. ZBAA approach issues clearance for a STAR only a minute or so from the fix which begins the STAR. There are 72 STARS in the FMC. If the STAR loaded by the crew as a best guess before contacting approach control isn't the STAR issued by approach; there is no time to fiddle around with each of the labeled STARs in the FMC trying to match the depiction with the named STAR in the clearance and the JEPP book. We took a best guess at the STAR we thought we would be issued and approach issued a different STAR. I said we were unable to accept the issued STAR.
A B747 Captain reported that ZBAA STAR identifiers in the FMS database utilized different nomenclature than that of the associated STAR arrival chart. The inability to quickly determine; program and activate their cleared arrival caused the reporter to declare the flight unable to comply with the clearance.