MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Commercial
Workload; Time Pressure; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Aircraft; Procedure
As we approached HONIE on the WARRR1 RNAV arrival into Atlanta; we had the 27L transition selected. Atlanta Approach controller changed our RWY to 26R several miles prior to HONIE. When CA selected the WARRR1 arrival for 26R; all waypoints are dropped out until the proper arrival can be selected. There are 10 pages with 50 possible combinations of runways and arrivals on them. There is also an FMS built-in delay before each page will populate. The aircraft goes into heading hold. This time delay and closeness to HONIE caused us to fly a more easterly heading than desired. 053 heading is the outbound course from HONIE to WARRR on the RWY 26 arrival. We are a very experienced crew and still did not have time to repopulate the FMS prior to passing HONIE. So the aircraft went into HDG HLD and a turn was made toward WARRR when we were finally 3-4 miles from WARRR.Controllers need to be aware of the difficulty of the MD-80 to reprogram the FMS on short notice; even when within the 10 mile no later than distance. Aircrews should be aware of the outbound heading after HONIE. At least they will be flying the proper course without wind correction. In the future; I will request a heading and not accept a short notice runway change into ATL.
[Report narrative contains no additional information].
When ATC gave the MD-80 flight crew a late runway change as they approached HONIE on the WARRR RNAV STAR to ATL; the flight crew was unable to program it in a timely fashion and a modest track deviation occurred as the reprogramming was accomplished. Delays inherent to technical peculiarities of reprogramming a complex procedure as well as the modest speed of the FMS were cited as contributing factors.