Narrative:

I suspected trouble brewing when crossing over the airport to enter downwind at 3000' MSL. The tower instructed an airliner to go around because another airliner who just landed decided he needed a long roll-out. This seemed to precipitate confusion on the part of the controller, so I decided that I would verify every move I made with the tower before I did anything. At the point I would normally turn downwind I asked 'do you want me to turn downwind?' I was told, 'make a left 270 degree turn to enter downwind and descend to 2100'.' while descending to 2100', the tower asked for another turn and to maintain 3000'. Perplexed, I responded with 'do you want me to climb back up to 3000'?' the answer was 'negative, continue downwind at 2100'.' at this point I was really worried about the controller, especially since there was traffic on final that I could not visually spot from downwind leg--so I asked, 'are you going to call my base?' the reply was 'affirmative,' so I just kept flying downwind for several mi, waiting for my base leg to be called. By now another controller took over (supervisor, probably) and asked for us to turn direct to airport. I informed this new guy that we were waiting for base to be called, and he said that it had been called 1 1/2 mins ago. Rather than argue over the air, I landed and kept quiet. I know the tower had problems, but I wonder if our new TCA has the bugs worked out of it yet or not? We just can't afford to have such pilot-controller communication confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA TRACK HEADING DEVIATION IN PHX TCA.

Narrative: I SUSPECTED TROUBLE BREWING WHEN XING OVER THE ARPT TO ENTER DOWNWIND AT 3000' MSL. THE TWR INSTRUCTED AN AIRLINER TO GO AROUND BECAUSE ANOTHER AIRLINER WHO JUST LANDED DECIDED HE NEEDED A LONG ROLL-OUT. THIS SEEMED TO PRECIPITATE CONFUSION ON THE PART OF THE CTLR, SO I DECIDED THAT I WOULD VERIFY EVERY MOVE I MADE WITH THE TWR BEFORE I DID ANYTHING. AT THE POINT I WOULD NORMALLY TURN DOWNWIND I ASKED 'DO YOU WANT ME TO TURN DOWNWIND?' I WAS TOLD, 'MAKE A LEFT 270 DEG TURN TO ENTER DOWNWIND AND DSND TO 2100'.' WHILE DSNDING TO 2100', THE TWR ASKED FOR ANOTHER TURN AND TO MAINTAIN 3000'. PERPLEXED, I RESPONDED WITH 'DO YOU WANT ME TO CLB BACK UP TO 3000'?' THE ANSWER WAS 'NEGATIVE, CONTINUE DOWNWIND AT 2100'.' AT THIS POINT I WAS REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THE CTLR, ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE WAS TFC ON FINAL THAT I COULD NOT VISUALLY SPOT FROM DOWNWIND LEG--SO I ASKED, 'ARE YOU GOING TO CALL MY BASE?' THE REPLY WAS 'AFFIRMATIVE,' SO I JUST KEPT FLYING DOWNWIND FOR SEVERAL MI, WAITING FOR MY BASE LEG TO BE CALLED. BY NOW ANOTHER CTLR TOOK OVER (SUPVR, PROBABLY) AND ASKED FOR US TO TURN DIRECT TO ARPT. I INFORMED THIS NEW GUY THAT WE WERE WAITING FOR BASE TO BE CALLED, AND HE SAID THAT IT HAD BEEN CALLED 1 1/2 MINS AGO. RATHER THAN ARGUE OVER THE AIR, I LANDED AND KEPT QUIET. I KNOW THE TWR HAD PROBS, BUT I WONDER IF OUR NEW TCA HAS THE BUGS WORKED OUT OF IT YET OR NOT? WE JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE SUCH PLT-CTLR COM CONFUSION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.