Narrative:

The evolution of this particular situation goes back a long way, considering the complexity of the airspace in the northeast region of the us everyone involved is under pressure for various reasons. In my case, this situation involved a particular crossing restriction with specific distance and altitude. Rather than creating a fix on this highly used arrival route, the center involved would rather utilize a very confusing means of communication; i.e., cross 10 NM north of orw at 11000' MSL with the creation of fixes or the utilization of existing fixes. To communicate required crossing restrictions fewer words would be used to relay ATC desires in a much simpler manner. After talking with the ZBW regional area supervisor, I came away with the impression that this has been an area of repeated concern and conflict, and their way of handling the situation is to verbally contact the crew via phone and request greater vigilance when listening to ATC in this area, and of course all areas (as if we run our operation with total disregard to ATC clrncs). My question to him was, why the controller did not correct my apparent misunderstanding with this often misunderstood clearance. My first readback was to cross 15 NM north of orw VORTAC at 10000' MSL. He corrected me with a 10 NM north of orw VORTAC at what I perceived was at 10000' MSL. My second readback to the best of my knowledge was to cross 10 NM north of orw VORTAC at 10000' MSL. Apparently the preferred clearance was to cross 10 NM north of orw VORTAC at 11000' MSL. Therein lies the confusion. Nothing was said until we were handed off to ocean approach for arrival into providence, ri. There was a definite problem here, when there is a conflict in clrncs and aircraft operation, I feel something should be said much sooner. Fortunately there was no conflict. Maybe next time there will be. I, for one, will endeavor to listen much closer because I consider myself a professional.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION PLUS COMPLAINT ABOUT SIMILAR A/N WHEN GIVING A CROSSING RESTRICTION DESIGNATED BY DISTANCE FROM A NAVIGATION AID VERSUS USING A PREPRINTED CHART FIX.

Narrative: THE EVOLUTION OF THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION GOES BACK A LONG WAY, CONSIDERING THE COMPLEXITY OF THE AIRSPACE IN THE NE REGION OF THE U.S. EVERYONE INVOLVED IS UNDER PRESSURE FOR VARIOUS REASONS. IN MY CASE, THIS SITUATION INVOLVED A PARTICULAR XING RESTRICTION WITH SPECIFIC DISTANCE AND ALT. RATHER THAN CREATING A FIX ON THIS HIGHLY USED ARR RTE, THE CENTER INVOLVED WOULD RATHER UTILIZE A VERY CONFUSING MEANS OF COM; I.E., CROSS 10 NM N OF ORW AT 11000' MSL WITH THE CREATION OF FIXES OR THE UTILIZATION OF EXISTING FIXES. TO COMMUNICATE REQUIRED XING RESTRICTIONS FEWER WORDS WOULD BE USED TO RELAY ATC DESIRES IN A MUCH SIMPLER MANNER. AFTER TALKING WITH THE ZBW REGIONAL AREA SUPVR, I CAME AWAY WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN AREA OF REPEATED CONCERN AND CONFLICT, AND THEIR WAY OF HANDLING THE SITUATION IS TO VERBALLY CONTACT THE CREW VIA PHONE AND REQUEST GREATER VIGILANCE WHEN LISTENING TO ATC IN THIS AREA, AND OF COURSE ALL AREAS (AS IF WE RUN OUR OPERATION WITH TOTAL DISREGARD TO ATC CLRNCS). MY QUESTION TO HIM WAS, WHY THE CTLR DID NOT CORRECT MY APPARENT MISUNDERSTANDING WITH THIS OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC. MY FIRST READBACK WAS TO CROSS 15 NM N OF ORW VORTAC AT 10000' MSL. HE CORRECTED ME WITH A 10 NM N OF ORW VORTAC AT WHAT I PERCEIVED WAS AT 10000' MSL. MY SECOND READBACK TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE WAS TO CROSS 10 NM N OF ORW VORTAC AT 10000' MSL. APPARENTLY THE PREFERRED CLRNC WAS TO CROSS 10 NM N OF ORW VORTAC AT 11000' MSL. THEREIN LIES THE CONFUSION. NOTHING WAS SAID UNTIL WE WERE HANDED OFF TO OCEAN APCH FOR ARR INTO PROVIDENCE, RI. THERE WAS A DEFINITE PROB HERE, WHEN THERE IS A CONFLICT IN CLRNCS AND ACFT OPERATION, I FEEL SOMETHING SHOULD BE SAID MUCH SOONER. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. MAYBE NEXT TIME THERE WILL BE. I, FOR ONE, WILL ENDEAVOR TO LISTEN MUCH CLOSER BECAUSE I CONSIDER MYSELF A PROFESSIONAL.

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.