Narrative:

Climbing out of sfo runway 1L at approximately 1500', we were switched over to departure control. We used a maximum performance takeoff right/climb approximately 4000-5000 FPM. My initial call to departure was leaving 2200' for FL230. There was some conversation with other aircraft and I made out departure's response to be something like, 'climb to 3.' not sure if he meant 3000' or that he was partially cut out saying '230.' I asked, 'say altitude again for air carrier.' this time he said, 'air carrier maintain 3000.' at this time I said, 'ok, air carrier abc at 3500 back down to 3000.' he said, 'I don't know what the confusion was--I told you out of 2000 to maintain 3000.' this is not true, as I did not check in until 2200'. Our initial clearance was a 350 degree heading, 250 KTS to FL230. With our light gross weight and noise abatement climb procedures, you just can't stop this thing on a dime. The conflicting traffic was in sight at 4000' and no evasive maneuver was required. Departure could have notified sfo tower and changed our initial altitude--giving us a more reasonable time to level off. Also, an 'air carrier stop climb at 3000' might have precluded any misunderstanding in his intentions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG IN HIGH RATE OF CLIMB WAS CLEARED BY TRACON CTLR TO LEVEL AT 3000'. SLIGHT DELAY IN CONFIRMING COM. FLT OVERSHOT 3000 TO 3500' AND RETURNED TO 3000', BUT LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION HAD APPARENTLY OCCURRED.

Narrative: CLBING OUT OF SFO RWY 1L AT APPROX 1500', WE WERE SWITCHED OVER TO DEP CTL. WE USED A MAX PERFORMANCE TKOF R/CLB APPROX 4000-5000 FPM. MY INITIAL CALL TO DEP WAS LEAVING 2200' FOR FL230. THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION WITH OTHER ACFT AND I MADE OUT DEP'S RESPONSE TO BE SOMETHING LIKE, 'CLB TO 3.' NOT SURE IF HE MEANT 3000' OR THAT HE WAS PARTIALLY CUT OUT SAYING '230.' I ASKED, 'SAY ALT AGAIN FOR ACR.' THIS TIME HE SAID, 'ACR MAINTAIN 3000.' AT THIS TIME I SAID, 'OK, ACR ABC AT 3500 BACK DOWN TO 3000.' HE SAID, 'I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONFUSION WAS--I TOLD YOU OUT OF 2000 TO MAINTAIN 3000.' THIS IS NOT TRUE, AS I DID NOT CHK IN UNTIL 2200'. OUR INITIAL CLRNC WAS A 350 DEG HDG, 250 KTS TO FL230. WITH OUR LIGHT GROSS WT AND NOISE ABATEMENT CLB PROCS, YOU JUST CAN'T STOP THIS THING ON A DIME. THE CONFLICTING TFC WAS IN SIGHT AT 4000' AND NO EVASIVE MANEUVER WAS REQUIRED. DEP COULD HAVE NOTIFIED SFO TWR AND CHANGED OUR INITIAL ALT--GIVING US A MORE REASONABLE TIME TO LEVEL OFF. ALSO, AN 'ACR STOP CLB AT 3000' MIGHT HAVE PRECLUDED ANY MISUNDERSTANDING IN HIS INTENTIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.