Ladies and Gents.
This is probably the wrong forum to put this in but figured I'd get the most responses....
In my 25 year airline career this is the first time this has ever happened and looking for some input/answers on it.
When exactly does an FMS database "expire"? Here's the scenario.
The current database dates say 3 Mar2013/4April2013 and the new uploaded database says 4April 2013/3May2013. I had a flight on the 4th of April and we would be landing at destination on the 4th of April (all GMT times).
Since my airline has the captain do the walkaround, I didnt' see my FO keep the database that ended 4April2013 to use during our 5 hour flight.
When I started inputing the approach info into the FMS just prior to top of descent for arrival at destination, I noticed the waypoints were named differently as well as some altitudes. The approach charts were all dated "Effective 4 April" and were new as well.
Evidently, the FMS datebase my FO selected didn't have the new approach info included. Now, over my career, I do know that it's always best to go with the most updated "anything" whether it be FMS dates, weather reports etc. But from a completely legal and technical aspect of this... since the older database said April 4th, it should have been "correct SOP" to use... but it was out of date.
I told my FO he should have picked the more current database starting on 4 April instead of ending on 4 April. Having said that, I can see nothing wrong with using the dates ending with 4 April 2013.
I scoured my company manuals to find an absolute answer as to exactly when on the 4th of April (or any date) the old database would have expired. After about 45 minutes of looking, I found absolutely no mention of this.
So... If the end of one database date coincides with the beginning of the next one eg, overlap, when exactly does the previous one officially expire.... and what is the source reference for this??? [/B] Would it not make more sense to have the end of one database state 3 April2013 and the beginning of the next state 4April 2013? Then there is no confusion at all.
Long question I know but thanks for offering your thoughts and answers.
Kap