B737-800
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Distraction; Situational Awareness; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Undershoot; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Procedure
This report is being filed at the request of SoCal Approach.On arrival to SNA; we were flying the new DSNEE ONE STAR; as assigned. During the descent; we had a slight tailwind (approximately 010 degrees at 10 knots). After crossing the ROADE waypoint and attempting to descend to meet the crossing restriction at the PHIYA waypoint; we realized we were going to be a bit higher than the required altitude. We advised ATC of the situation and immediately asked for relief on the altitude restriction. ATC gave us the relief without question or issue. We ended up crossing PHIYA about 400 feet high; but were able to make the rest of the crossing restrictions without issue.The controller mentioned that multiple aircraft have had issues making that particular crossing restriction on this new arrival; and that controllers don't particularly like the required descent between ROADE and PHIYA; either. He asked us to file this report in order to help them with an upcoming meeting concerning this STAR and the other recent revisions to LAX terminal airspace. We agreed to do so; hence this report.This event occurred because the descent profile is too steep for easy compliance with the new STAR. The published restriction at ROADE is between FL190 and 17;000 feet. The published restriction at PHIYA is 13;000 feet. Depending on how the airplane calculates the VNAV descent; it is required to lose as much as 6;000 feet in 11.3 NM. That's a difficult restriction to meet; even harder when there's a tailwind on the arrival.The arrival needs to be reconfigured in order to allow all aircraft types to meet the crossing restrictions and still allow time to properly configure for a stabilized approach and landing at SNA.
B737-800 pilot reported that SoCal TRACON requested he fill out a report about a bad descent and crossing restriction that is hard to make into Orange County.