Narrative:

Flight from tokyo-san francisco, 2/90 was in the #1 position for takeoff on runway 34 at new tokyo international (narita) airport. The WX was IFR with 3000 visibility, rain and mist with a wind of 350 degree at 17 KTS. It was the copilot's leg. A wide body aircraft had just landed and the three crew members heard the tower transmit 'air carrier-identification cleared into position'. The captain acknowledged the transmission and the first officer taxied the aircraft onto runway 34 and set the brakes. After a short time the tower asked what is the position of air carrier the captain replied that air carrier was on the runway. The tower then gave another aircraft a go around that was on approach. The crew discussed the transmission and all felt with certainty that our aircraft had been cleared into position. My only thought upon reflection upon the incident was that the tower operator may have made a comment for our aircraft to continue to hold. One of the ironies of this incident was that all three cockpit members had read the dec 89 callback about 'what is your position' when flying international. I had brought that issue to the cockpit because I thought that it should be read by everyone when flying where all the communicators are not speaking in their primary language. Did the tower operator clear us into position? Did we hear what we wanted to hear? Was there a language problem? I don't know. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. Reporter states that a few weeks later two similar incidents occurred. Even though maintaining awareness. We tend to be critical but must be aware that controllers are speaking what for them is a second language. Reporter states that japanese controllers work at being helpful, but when they become a bit proficient in our language they tend to speak faster and the situation compounds. Many countries use different expressions to 'take the runway'. Manila differs from bangkok which differs from tokyo, ect. We need standardization.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB FLT CREW AT OVERSEAS ARPT HAS COM PROBLEM REGARDING POSITION AND HOLD INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: FLT FROM TOKYO-SAN FRANCISCO, 2/90 WAS IN THE #1 POS FOR TKOF ON RWY 34 AT NEW TOKYO INTL (NARITA) ARPT. THE WX WAS IFR WITH 3000 VISIBILITY, RAIN AND MIST WITH A WIND OF 350 DEG AT 17 KTS. IT WAS THE COPLT'S LEG. A WIDE BODY ACFT HAD JUST LANDED AND THE THREE CREW MEMBERS HEARD THE TWR XMIT 'ACR-ID CLRED INTO POS'. THE CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED THE XMISSION AND THE F/O TAXIED THE ACFT ONTO RWY 34 AND SET THE BRAKES. AFTER A SHORT TIME THE TWR ASKED WHAT IS THE POS OF ACR THE CAPT REPLIED THAT ACR WAS ON THE RWY. THE TWR THEN GAVE ANOTHER ACFT A GO AROUND THAT WAS ON APCH. THE CREW DISCUSSED THE XMISSION AND ALL FELT WITH CERTAINTY THAT OUR ACFT HAD BEEN CLRED INTO POS. MY ONLY THOUGHT UPON REFLECTION UPON THE INCIDENT WAS THAT THE TWR OPERATOR MAY HAVE MADE A COMMENT FOR OUR ACFT TO CONTINUE TO HOLD. ONE OF THE IRONIES OF THIS INCIDENT WAS THAT ALL THREE COCKPIT MEMBERS HAD READ THE DEC 89 CALLBACK ABOUT 'WHAT IS YOUR POS' WHEN FLYING INTL. I HAD BROUGHT THAT ISSUE TO THE COCKPIT BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT IT SHOULD BE READ BY EVERYONE WHEN FLYING WHERE ALL THE COMMUNICATORS ARE NOT SPEAKING IN THEIR PRIMARY LANGUAGE. DID THE TWR OPERATOR CLR US INTO POS? DID WE HEAR WHAT WE WANTED TO HEAR? WAS THERE A LANGUAGE PROB? I DON'T KNOW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES THAT A FEW WKS LATER TWO SIMILAR INCIDENTS OCCURRED. EVEN THOUGH MAINTAINING AWARENESS. WE TEND TO BE CRITICAL BUT MUST BE AWARE THAT CTLRS ARE SPEAKING WHAT FOR THEM IS A SECOND LANGUAGE. RPTR STATES THAT JAPANESE CTLRS WORK AT BEING HELPFUL, BUT WHEN THEY BECOME A BIT PROFICIENT IN OUR LANGUAGE THEY TEND TO SPEAK FASTER AND THE SITUATION COMPOUNDS. MANY COUNTRIES USE DIFFERENT EXPRESSIONS TO 'TAKE THE RWY'. MANILA DIFFERS FROM BANGKOK WHICH DIFFERS FROM TOKYO, ECT. WE NEED STANDARDIZATION.

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.