B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Manuals
This aircraft was NOT Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) equipped. However; this report is submitted to draw attention to the confusion and significant task loading that CPDLC adds to preflight duties. As a Check Airman and 21 year Captain; I spent at least 25 minutes in the hotel room reading the FOM Bulletin on CPDLC. I still found it somewhat confusing because of the length of the bulletin. If the aircraft had turned out to be CPDLC capable; I felt I would need to reread the bulletin step by step in the cockpit to follow the procedure correctly. A normal Crew change during a turn obviously does NOT have this time available. I am concerned that Crews will make errors and delay flights.
B737 Check Airman reports that the company's documentation provided to crews concerning Controller Pilot Data Link Communications equipment needs calcification/simplifying.