Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Confusion; Time Pressure; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
During flight between ESSA and North America; while receiving our Oceanic Clearance the ATC data link facility responded multiple times that our Oceanic Entry Point was invalid. After a couple more tries to get Oceanic Clearance via Data link we reverted to Voice and received; read back and confirmed that the clearance matched the flight plan and also matched the FMS. After receipt of clearance we were asked by BODO OCEANIC on VHF to confirm our waypoint after 7000N (N7000.0W00000.0) which was 7310N (N7300.0W01000.0). We confirmed the waypoint. About 15-20 Min later we received an ATC MSG via CPDLC asking again to confirm waypoint after 7000N. We checked again and confirmed 7310N. Another ATC MSG via CPDLC informed us that our 'system' was saying the point was N7310.0W01000.0. We checked the LAT/LON of the waypoint and confirmed it was N7310.0W01000.0 AND NOT N7300.0W01000.0. We responded via CPDLC to 'stby' and corrected the error; returned to course and as soon as the new/correct point was loaded ATC responded 'ALL CORRECT; THANKS'. We checked the navigational error and we were no more than 4-5 miles right of course at that point. We plotted the incorrect point on the plotting chart and the IPAD and determined the point was approximately 9-10 miles north of correct point. We were in RNP 12 airspace at the time. The 10 min course check after previous point would/did not catch error due to it was so small on the plotting chart. No more than width of a pen/pencil point.After it was corrected; Pilot Flying (PF) and I reviewed our preflight cockpit preparation. This was an International tech stop; quick turn; and crew swap. Always a busy environment. When we uplinked the flight plan it came in with 2 INVALID waypoints (7000N and 7310N). After a couple of attempts to load the points manually; with no success; I had to go into the NAV DATA page and create the waypoints. The only and obvious thing that created the error had to be my incorrect entry of the LATITUDE of the 7310N waypoint. When entering the data for that point I must have been looking at the hard copy of the flight plan waypoint listed as 7310N and incorrectly loaded N7310.0W01000.0 instead of the CORRECT N7300.0W01000.0. I named the point 7310N as it was on the flight plan and inserted it in the FMS. Why the FMS would NOT accept the waypoints normally or via data link I am not sure. But the extra time to load points added to sometime pressure. I mentioned to PF that I was creating these points manually and within the NAV DATA page and asked him to check the points for error. He did check all points as well as MCS/MGH and distance. All checked ok to him. I believe the time it takes to load flight plans into IPADS; that are on the airplane; dealing with incorrectly uplinked flight plans with errors ( in this instance); cockpit interruptions from handling agents; fueling questions; Flight Attendant questions; causes time pressures on the crew during international crew swaps. The IPAD charts were out of date; needed an update (fortunately did not affect the trip). NOT incoming crews fault. If we had the tools; OUR OWN COMPANY ISSUED IPADS with JEPPs I would never have to worry about out of date data on the IPAD as well as the time it takes to load and choose the plates for the route that I am flying. We would all be responsible for our own data and charts and NOT have to rely on everything being 'OK' with the IPAD on the incoming flight. The extra time that it takes and time to review departures; taxi plans; routing; review of chart notes and briefings on complex international operations could be saved by competing before we even get into the cockpit. Relative to this event on the incorrect loading of the Latitude. When creating a point in the NAV DATA (like we do for ETP's) I would suggest; if it is a navigation point loaded into the LEGS/ RTE pages that the ACM also review.
Captain of an international flight reports a navigational error on a flight departing ESSA for North America. The first two waypoints of the oceanic segment would not uplink to the FMC and had to be created manually on the nav data page. The first waypoint was entered correctly but the second waypoint; which was 7310N (N7300.0W01000.0); was entered as N7310.0W01000.0 and displayed as 7310N. ATC detected the error and informed the crew.