Narrative:

During daylight north atlantic crossing from arn to ord visibility random routing, the flight was cruising at FL370 in extremely cold conditions (-68 degrees C). After receiving clearance to climb to FL390, it became apparent that the fuel temperature would drop below -37 degree C (an airframe limit). Coordination with ATC was initiated in order to receive a lower altitude. After many attempts for various altitudes and during very congested and at best marginal high frequency radio reception, a clearance was thought to be received to FL350. After responding to the new altitude, a descent to FL350 was entered and the aircraft was leveled at FL350. Upon contact with montreal VHF some time later, and stating our cruising altitude, the controller requested our altitude twice after our initial contact. After his second approach, the captain of the flight inquired of montreal if there was a problem with our altitude, and also at what altitude he was expecting us. The controller stated he was expecting to receive us at FL390 (at this time, we were making an inquiry as to a lower altitude than we might be able to receive once we came under control of montreal, because at this time we were under iceland control). Subsequently we received clearance to FL330 by gander, and then later to FL280 by montreal. Recommendation: improve north atlantic radio facility in order to reduce frequency congested and delete all high frequency usage in the highly utilized area of controled join use airspace. In this day and age, it is a disgrace to have an air traffic system of this densely traveled area to be forced to use high frequency radios and tracking strips as a sole means of traffic sep.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB FLT CREW REQUESTED LOWER ALT DUE TO LOW FUEL TEMPERATURE. REPORTER THOUGHT HE WAS CLEARED TO LOWER ALT AND DESCENDED WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: DURING DAYLIGHT N ATLANTIC XING FROM ARN TO ORD VIS RANDOM RTING, THE FLT WAS CRUISING AT FL370 IN EXTREMELY COLD CONDITIONS (-68 DEGS C). AFTER RECEIVING CLRNC TO CLB TO FL390, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE FUEL TEMP WOULD DROP BELOW -37 DEG C (AN AIRFRAME LIMIT). COORD WITH ATC WAS INITIATED IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A LOWER ALT. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS FOR VARIOUS ALTS AND DURING VERY CONGESTED AND AT BEST MARGINAL HIGH FREQ RADIO RECEPTION, A CLRNC WAS THOUGHT TO BE RECEIVED TO FL350. AFTER RESPONDING TO THE NEW ALT, A DSNT TO FL350 WAS ENTERED AND THE ACFT WAS LEVELED AT FL350. UPON CONTACT WITH MONTREAL VHF SOME TIME LATER, AND STATING OUR CRUISING ALT, THE CTLR REQUESTED OUR ALT TWICE AFTER OUR INITIAL CONTACT. AFTER HIS SECOND APCH, THE CAPT OF THE FLT INQUIRED OF MONTREAL IF THERE WAS A PROB WITH OUR ALT, AND ALSO AT WHAT ALT HE WAS EXPECTING US. THE CTLR STATED HE WAS EXPECTING TO RECEIVE US AT FL390 (AT THIS TIME, WE WERE MAKING AN INQUIRY AS TO A LOWER ALT THAN WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RECEIVE ONCE WE CAME UNDER CTL OF MONTREAL, BECAUSE AT THIS TIME WE WERE UNDER ICELAND CTL). SUBSEQUENTLY WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO FL330 BY GANDER, AND THEN LATER TO FL280 BY MONTREAL. RECOMMENDATION: IMPROVE N ATLANTIC RADIO FAC IN ORDER TO REDUCE FREQ CONGESTED AND DELETE ALL HIGH FREQ USAGE IN THE HIGHLY UTILIZED AREA OF CTLED JOIN USE AIRSPACE. IN THIS DAY AND AGE, IT IS A DISGRACE TO HAVE AN AIR TFC SYS OF THIS DENSELY TRAVELED AREA TO BE FORCED TO USE HIGH FREQ RADIOS AND TRACKING STRIPS AS A SOLE MEANS OF TFC SEP.

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.