ATC phraseology: using zero's in both headings and flight levels causes misinterp by flight crew's.

Attributes
ACN	203996
Time
Date	199203
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz tracon : pit
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 13000
ASRS Report	203996
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I recently read another report of pilot/controller confusion over clearance. Because headings are often assigned rounded off to the nearest 10 degrees ('220 degrees, 180 degrees, 330 degrees, etc). They are sometimes (more often than reported) confused with altitude assignments (FL220, FL180, FL330 etc) especially when shot at the pilot by the controller in rapid tommy gun' style. A 'zero' maybe appropriate to a heading, but why do we call flight levels (given names) that also include 'zero?' all that does is help fill the radios with more words than is necessary and possibly confuse pilots and controllers. I suggest that we drop 'zero' from flight level 'names' and use only a 2-DIGIT number (FL33 rather than FL330) and enable pilots and controllers to say 'flight level thirty-three' (as an example) instead of 'three three zero' which can be confused with a heading. Such a change would not take too long for pilots and controllers to get used to and would make giving and receiving ATC clearance much easier and subject to less confusion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC PHRASEOLOGY: USING ZERO'S IN BOTH HEADINGS AND FLT LEVELS CAUSES MISINTERP BY FLC'S.

Narrative: I RECENTLY READ ANOTHER REPORT OF PLT/CTLR CONFUSION OVER CLRNC. BECAUSE HDGS ARE OFTEN ASSIGNED ROUNDED OFF TO THE NEAREST 10 DEGS ('220 DEGS, 180 DEGS, 330 DEGS, ETC). THEY ARE SOMETIMES (MORE OFTEN THAN REPORTED) CONFUSED WITH ALT ASSIGNMENTS (FL220, FL180, FL330 ETC) ESPECIALLY WHEN SHOT AT THE PLT BY THE CTLR IN RAPID TOMMY GUN' STYLE. A 'ZERO' MAYBE APPROPRIATE TO A HEADING, BUT WHY DO WE CALL FLT LEVELS (GIVEN NAMES) THAT ALSO INCLUDE 'ZERO?' ALL THAT DOES IS HELP FILL THE RADIOS WITH MORE WORDS THAN IS NECESSARY AND POSSIBLY CONFUSE PLTS AND CTLRS. I SUGGEST THAT WE DROP 'ZERO' FROM FLT LEVEL 'NAMES' AND USE ONLY A 2-DIGIT NUMBER (FL33 RATHER THAN FL330) AND ENABLE PLTS AND CTLRS TO SAY 'FLT LEVEL THIRTY-THREE' (AS AN EXAMPLE) INSTEAD OF 'THREE THREE ZERO' WHICH CAN BE CONFUSED WITH A HEADING. SUCH A CHANGE WOULD NOT TAKE TOO LONG FOR PILOTS AND CTLRS TO GET USED TO AND WOULD MAKE GIVING AND RECEIVING ATC CLRNC MUCH EASIER AND SUBJECT TO LESS 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.