B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Total 25000; Flight Crew Type 7404
Communication Breakdown; Training / Qualification
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Company Policy; Manuals
On our 777 flight we were presented with a [different] 777 model. I realized this when we saw the interior configuration and cockpit differences. Specifically; Weather (WX) radar; door panel and Take Off Warning config button. As we began the cockpit prep it was immediately apparent neither of us (Cap or First Officer) knew how to test or operate this version of the WX radar. Compounding this is the fact that we had no idea how to test and operate the cockpit door and controls. I pushed a button on the door panel thinking it was a test button and the whole latch mechanism feel out of its recess. Obviously we didn't know what we were doing. We both were in the manuals attempting to figure out how to fly these systems.We had a 767 Captain on the jumpseat with his manual open thinking that the radar on the 767 was the same. We are reading another aircraft FM to try and learn on the fly how to operate our 777 WX radar. We needed it to get across the country with lines of thunderstorms developing. Red flags are flying! We do not feel qualified to fly this aircraft. I stopped the show and called a timeout. I called Dispatch; Chief Pilot and got the 777 fleet on SATCOM. 777 fleet manager tried but could not find the FM reference for the radar. A 777 [instructor] was on the line and attempted to teach us the radar system over the SATCOM. We had no idea what the controls and letters on the buttons indicated or operated. All of us scoured the FM. The [instructor] was verbally guiding us through a test. As I sat back and observed this all unfold I realized that our training is severely lacking on the 777 differences. I was very close to walking off the airplane because I did not feel qualified to fly it.At this point I asked the fleet to standby on the radar and move to an easier system...I thought. Cockpit door and controls. Once again we were instructed over SATCOM on how to test the door and controls. Later on we found out that the door does not require a test. Only an open light on the panel. However the FM tells us to push the flight deck emergency switch. We did not know where this was located. The test switch is on the outside of the door not on the flush panel lights we were being told to push to test. I bring this all up to show how confusion and frustration was setting in.A Flight Attendant had to show us how to SOP the door entry. I understand that in the FM small footnotes on the [this version 777] model are there buried in the text. This is not the time to be trying to find these little footnotes while sitting in the cockpit. We need a reference that is [this 777 model] only. All in one place for reference. We found the FM ref for the Take Off warning config button but did not know exactly how to use it and when. It's not that difficult but when you never have seen any of this things start to pile up and overload the crew. The hand mike was even different. I was talking into the wrong end thinking the small hole was the mike. It isn't. It's on the back side and looks like a small screen. I know somewhere 5 years ago we saw a slide show or bulletin on the differences on the [this 777 version]. That was the extent of the exposure to the differences. I don't remember it and neither did my First Officer. Our 767 Captain on the jumpseat helped us to the point of feeling somewhat comfortable with the operation of the radar. The doors panel we figured out that the Hard Lock function is the DENY on our [other modeled] 777s. The hand mike; seat belt sign announcement; engine instruments {EPR is missing}; doors; radar and other systems are so different the airplane should require a continuous training module and at least 1 Line Check Airman (LCA) ride for training. If I had followed our recently completed training I should have walked off and asked for help. All new [777] model pilots should be afforded the opportunity to fly with an LCA to train to proficiency the model differences. Training by bulletin and slide show5 years ago doesn't work.I am writing this a couple of weeks after the event and during this time had a line check with an LCA. I learned in 1 hour how to operate the systems and even our LCA struggled a bit with the WX radar! I later discovered by trial and error that [this 777 model] radar description is in the Warnings chapter! The search engine could not find it. Who would think to look in Warnings? The panel is there with definitions of the buttons but not how to operate the system. Bottom line is that the differences are so many and require a complete understanding to integrate the systems into the actual operation of the airplane that training needs to be revised to get us to proficiency.
Air carrier Captain reported being confronted with operational issues with a B777 model with which they were unfamiliar. Pilot handbooks provided scant information on the aircraft differences.