MD-83
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Distraction; Human-Machine Interface; Workload
Other Unwanted Situation
General None Reported / Taken
Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Aircraft; Procedure
We were assigned the TRUPS RNAV STAR; BKW transition followed by the Mt. Vernon Visual to Runway 1 into DCA. The overall environmental conditions were good daytime VFR; with high clouds; a quartering tailwind on the arrival and light winds and good visibility on the approach. Both the Captain and I are well experienced on the aircraft flown; and are familiar with DCA operations. We did not knowingly violate any FARs and complied with all crossing restrictions on the arrival and approach. During our post flight debrief we both agreed that the recently issued TRUPS STAR has an excessively high work load for non FMS aircraft and simply put; can be unsafe. We both feel that this issue needs to be addressed; prompting this report. In order to comply with all altitude crossings and airspeed restrictions both pilots are often heads down; too busy to monitor traffic; aircraft systems; etc. and can have difficulty complying with normal operating procedures. Excessive tailwinds and environmental conditions such as icing; turbulence; locally high barometric settings as well as last minute runway changes can often make these restrictions near impossible. The typical mission oriented pilot will often willingly accept this arrival and do his best; yet under certain conditions his or her best efforts may not be good enough and a violation and or accident could possibly be the result. It our opinion that this arrival should not be issued to non-FMS equipped aircraft and serious inquiry is needed.
An MD-83 First Officer outlined problems he has experienced while flying Optimized Descent Profile RNAV STARS; in the instant case; the TRUPS RNAV STAR to DCA. He declares such procedures to be potentially unsafe; especially in fleets without full VNAV capability due to their excessive workload demands on the flight crew.