give your review about this author and article
——————————-
I fly for a Part 135 carrier. Typically, the pilot flying will take care of exterior duties such as settling the FBO fees, conducting the aircraft walk around, and assuring the completion of services such as fueling, lavatory services, catering, etc. The pilot monitoring will be responsible for setting up the cockpit, such as performing take-off calculations, receiving the clearance (if in a foreign country, both pilots must copy down the clearance), programing the FMS, obtaining the ATIS, etc.
We utilize a program called APG, Aircraft Performance Group, to calculate our aircraft performance numbers. Our FMS will also calculate these numbers. We constantly compare the performance numbers provided by APG and the FMS to ensure they are similar; usually, they are the same or within a knot of each other. If one is different, we know we made a mistake inputting data into the FMS or APG. Thus, we go and find out where the error lies and make the correction.
When entering the flight plan into the FMS, we compare the total mileage on the paper copy of the flight plan to the mileage in the FMS to ensure they are similar. Furthermore, the person entering the data will go through each point on the flight plan and compare that to what is entered into the FMS; a dot will be drawn beside each fix on the paper copy of the flight plan to indicate it has been identified in the FMS. If the flight plan includes an oceanic crossing, the data entered into the FMS is double-checked. The person entering the data will compare each point on the paper flight plan as stated before. When the pilot flying enters the cockpit, we will go through the FMS again, and the pilot flying will circle the dot, ensuring each point in the FMS is there and accurate. If the flight plan includes a SID or STAR, we will go through each point to ensure that any airspeed or altitude restrictions are programmed.
Complacency bit me in the rear last August, as I wrote in our first week’s assignment. Here it is again, if you missed it – we were conducting a flight from Punta Canta in the Dominican Republic to Jacksonville, Florida. The clearance received was to fly our flight plan route but added a Standard Instrument Departure procedure, the MALVN 2W with the MALVN transition. I entered the MALVN 2W departure procedure into the FMS. I went through all the waypoints in the FMS and compared them to the waypoints on our flight plan, and they matched. We briefed the departure procedure and went through the FMS to ensure that what was entered into the FMS matched the fixes depicted on the MALVN 2W departure plate; they checked. Heading mode was selected for departure with the NAV mode armed. We then completed all the required checklists, and we received clearance to commence engine start.
After the engine starts and associated checklists were complete, I called the ground controller for a taxi clearance. The taxi instructions given were “runway 08, taxi to holding point Echo via Foxtrot, Echo, cross runway 09.” We began our taxi as instructed. However, for whatever reason, I had an expectation bias that runway 09 would be our departure runway even though we were given runway 08 since both runways were in use upon our arrival and runway 09 was closest to where we were parked on the ramp.
As we taxied across runway 09, it was finally clear in my mind we were going to depart on runway 08 as instructed, not 09. As a result, I thought I had entered the wrong runway for departure into the FMS. Thus, I went to change it. Not paying close attention to what I was doing and definitely not effectively communicating with the other pilot, I selected DEP/ARR key and selected runway 09, immediately noticed that it was correct, to begin with, and selected it back to runway 08.
We received a take-off clearance, and after all the checklists were complete, we commenced take-off. Upon reaching approximately 400’, the flight director indicated a left-hand turn. Thus we turned to the left. However, the departure procedure dictates a right-hand turn. About 30° from runway heading, the tower controller inquired if we were given a departure procedure. I replied in the affirmative, and she stated we were supposed to turn right and instructed us to “continue the left-hand turn to 360 and proceed direct to MALVN.” I selected 360° with the heading bug and selected Heading mode. I looked in the FMS for waypoint MALVN, but it was not there, and neither were any of the points on the departure procedure.
The MALVN 2W departure procedure is runway-specific. When I changed the runway from 08 to 09 and immediately back to 08, the departure procedure dropped out of the FMS. The flight director indicated a left-hand turn to the waypoint following MALVN as it was located to our left, and it was the shortest radius to arrive at that fix. The tower controller handed us off to the departure controller. I apologized for my mistake, and she replied, “Not a problem. Have a good day,” or words to that effect.
Upon landing in Jacksonville, I called my Chief Pilot to confess my sins and completed a NASA report. Luckily there was no other traffic or obstructions in the area, and my mistake did not cause any disruptions in the airspace. It was a valuable learning experience that I will not soon forget.
This would have been avoided if I had communicated what I was doing with the FMS with the other pilot. Typically, before I execute a command, I always state to the other pilot what I am changing. If we are given a clearance to go direct to a fix, I will select “direct to” and then ask the other pilot, “Do you like it?” before executing the command.
The International Air Transport Association published a report in 2015 that offered many suggestions for preventing inputting FMS errors (International Air Transport Association, 2015).
Cross-checking
Compare inputted data with a different source
Periodically swapping tasks between entering data and cross-checking data between pilots
Build a mental picture of the flight and compare that to what is inputted into the FMS
Time Management
Plan ahead of time strategically and tactically
Be alert to changes in the operational environment
Be aware of the potential threat of time pressure, actual or perceived
Workload Management
Adhere to sterile cockpit rules
Utilize periods of low workloads to review the FMS
Utilize both pilots to enter and cross-check information being inputted into the FMS when times allow, such as being parked at the gate
Gross Check Errors
Develop Rules of Thumb
Roughly know what to expect from calculations before executed
Know what performance parameters an aircraft is likely to exhibit
SKYbrary also had an article on how to prevent FMS errors. They had many of the same suggestions as the International Air Transportation Association report but also added some of the following topics (SKYbrary, 2021).
Mutual Mistrust
Don’t automatically accept information from your colleague
Never accept an action without verifying an outcome
Cross-check each other’s actions per SOPs
Education and Awareness
Train to avoid, identify and manage data entry errors
Educate pilots on the potential consequences of data entry errors
Build standardization behaviors across the fleet
Technology
Design the FMS with internal safeguards
Integrate different size fonts and colors on the FMS screens
Ensure operating philosophies are consistent and intuitive
References
International Air Transport Association. (2015). FMS Data Entry Error Prevention Best Practices (1 Edition). https://www.iata.org/contentassets/b6eb2adc248c484192101edd1ed36015/fms-data-entry-error-prevention-ed-1-2015.pdf
SKYbrary. (2021, February 25). FMS Data Input Errors – SKYbrary Aviation Safety. https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/FMS_Data_Input_Errors
