Date: 201909
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Training / Qualification; Communication Breakdown
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Pre-flight
Result: General None Reported / Taken
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Company Policy; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Aircraft differences issues. As I sit here and study updates to manuals (FOM; Ops Specs; AOM; Systems Manual; What's New And Why B757-767; FSB; FOIB; MISC) I am trying to find information on the N391; N392; N393 and N395 Lower Cargo Fire Panel; as well as the N391-N395 Bulk Cargo Heat selector Now maybe I am not looking in the right place; but I have scanned through the following on my iPad: AOM Rev 63 SYS Rev 39 What's New and Why [recent] update All the FOIBs FSBs Flight Safety News Training Folder B757-767 Vault Now I am guessing these are the 'Dry Lease' airplanes and they might not be on property yet; but the preflight info is still in the AOM The only mention I have located is in the AOM under the preflight section on page 451; where the switch and lights preflight is listed. I can find no pictures; diagrams or even system description in the Systems Manual (where it belongs.) As I look at AOM page 451; it strikes me how many differences there are listed on that single page. Besides the above mentioned items; there is also an item unique to N301-N334 as well as N335-N364 and N391-N395. So I decided to count the Preflight differences that are not 757/767 specific; but rather tail number specific from the AOM Preflight section and I came up with 45 listed differences spread over the fleet with all the various configurations. We now have 2 airframes (757-767); 3 wings (757-767-767 winglets); 4 engine types (757 2037-2040; 757RR; 767GE) and I am not sure how many different cockpit configurations ALL of which might be CFD (Central Flight Display) or LDS (Large display System.) I know this is a lot of information to process the way I have written it; but that is roughly what we're dealing with out on the line. Imagine a tail swap at 4:30AM into something you have never seen before (I have yet to see a 767BCF cockpit; but I'm supposed to have it figured out from reading the manual.) In the interest of safety; I think you should produce a tail number specific video with the differences pointed out. Perhaps a 757 P&W with RR differences highlighted. A 767 N301-N334 with newer model/BCF/Dry Lease differences highlighted. I'm sure this could be done with a handful of 2-3 minute videos for each difference. That way I can quickly review my tail swap differences during preflight; and it would greatly enhance safety and initial training learning.




Synopsis: Captain reported that AOM's do not accurately reflect differences between aircraft and additional training would be of great help.