Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 240; Flight Crew Total 23000; Flight Crew Type 5500
Other / Unknown; Training / Qualification; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Manuals; Procedure; Company Policy; Human Factors
I have seen a lot of mistakes on every flight since we changed procedures; but this was by far the worst. For most of the entire seven hours each of us had a different way of doing new procedures. Like many First Officers; mine didn't know when or what to respond to checklist items. After waiting; I would have to prompt him to get him to say his required responses.The absolute worst occurred when we were cleared for the approach at 4;000 FT and intercepted the glideslope he said; 'Set missed approach altitude' and I said; 'No; you say that at 1;000 FT' and the Relief Pilot said; 'No; I just came from training and you set touchdown zone elevation.' I had to stop the conversation that ensued and said; 'We have the runway in sight; just forget it and set missed approach altitude now.'The Relief Pilot was the worst during the flight because he constantly told me I was doing everything wrong because he just came from his training where the Instructor told him all the new things we are supposed to do. BUT HE HAD NOTHING IN WRITING! Yet he constantly insisted he was right even though I would tell him and SHOW HIM IN THE BOOK where it wasn't changed yet so we still have to follow the book. He would not accept that as an answer until after six hours I finally said; 'I don't want to hear any more challenges unless you can show them to me in print.' But he then stated; 'You don't understand they are not going to put it in print; you will just do what you think is the right thing and that's how we will operate from now on.'I could write a safety report on every single flight about everyone's different interpretation of the printed SOP since they were changed but just don't have the time.
The Captain of an international flight crew reported ongoing difficulties encountered when crew attempt to comply with poorly trained and uncertainly understood SOPs which are the result of a recent merger of two large air carriers.