Narrative:

Inbound for landing at orly field, paris, france. We had been held up at cruise altitude FL390 because of excessive radio transmissions and were unable to get clearance for normal program descent. We were anxious to start down but couldn't seem to break in to talk with the controller. Finally, paris control offered interim clrncs in the 30's and 20's and finally to FL200. We barely reached FL200 when we were cleared to FL100. We read back each clearance prior to descending. A female offered the clearance to FL100 and switched us to another paris controller who was a male. We checked in and announced leveling at FL100. He retorted we should be at 110. However, the exchange was very unclr. We really did not know if we had misunderstood the previous clearance or if he wanted us back at FL110 or FL100 or what! The language problem was most evident. We asked which altitude he wanted and he said FL100. I had read the ASRS descent article on the 11000 and FL100, and here we were in the same predicament but with a french accent. Believe me, they do not emphasize the distinction as we do here in the united states. As a follow on, during our subsequent departure from paris, we were cleared to FL350. On passing FL330, paris asked if we were maintaining FL330. We replied, 'no, we're climbing to FL350 as cleared.' they said maintain FL330. Both cases were similar and both unsettling. They point out you must consistently concentrate on clrncs. This is particularly so when going below 17900 where all altitudes are given as flight levels also, and when the controller's english is a second language.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN DSCNT.

Narrative: INBOUND FOR LNDG AT ORLY FIELD, PARIS, FRANCE. WE HAD BEEN HELD UP AT CRUISE ALT FL390 BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE RADIO TRANSMISSIONS AND WERE UNABLE TO GET CLRNC FOR NORMAL PROGRAM DSCNT. WE WERE ANXIOUS TO START DOWN BUT COULDN'T SEEM TO BREAK IN TO TALK WITH THE CTLR. FINALLY, PARIS CTL OFFERED INTERIM CLRNCS IN THE 30'S AND 20'S AND FINALLY TO FL200. WE BARELY REACHED FL200 WHEN WE WERE CLRED TO FL100. WE READ BACK EACH CLRNC PRIOR TO DSNDING. A FEMALE OFFERED THE CLRNC TO FL100 AND SWITCHED US TO ANOTHER PARIS CTLR WHO WAS A MALE. WE CHKED IN AND ANNOUNCED LEVELING AT FL100. HE RETORTED WE SHOULD BE AT 110. HOWEVER, THE EXCHANGE WAS VERY UNCLR. WE REALLY DID NOT KNOW IF WE HAD MISUNDERSTOOD THE PREVIOUS CLRNC OR IF HE WANTED US BACK AT FL110 OR FL100 OR WHAT! THE LANGUAGE PROBLEM WAS MOST EVIDENT. WE ASKED WHICH ALT HE WANTED AND HE SAID FL100. I HAD READ THE ASRS DSCNT ARTICLE ON THE 11000 AND FL100, AND HERE WE WERE IN THE SAME PREDICAMENT BUT WITH A FRENCH ACCENT. BELIEVE ME, THEY DO NOT EMPHASIZE THE DISTINCTION AS WE DO HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. AS A FOLLOW ON, DURING OUR SUBSEQUENT DEP FROM PARIS, WE WERE CLRED TO FL350. ON PASSING FL330, PARIS ASKED IF WE WERE MAINTAINING FL330. WE REPLIED, 'NO, WE'RE CLBING TO FL350 AS CLRED.' THEY SAID MAINTAIN FL330. BOTH CASES WERE SIMILAR AND BOTH UNSETTLING. THEY POINT OUT YOU MUST CONSISTENTLY CONCENTRATE ON CLRNCS. THIS IS PARTICULARLY SO WHEN GOING BELOW 17900 WHERE ALL ALTS ARE GIVEN AS FLT LEVELS ALSO, AND WHEN THE CTLR'S ENGLISH IS A SECOND LANGUAGE.

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.