Narrative:

While taxiing to the 'holding point' for runway 10, talking to ground control on 121.8, I asked ground control if they would like for us to contact tower. Their reply was to contact tower on 120.65. Tower was contacted as follows: 'good evening tower, xx at 'holding point' for runway 10.' tower responded: 'roger line-up and wait runway 10.' I replied: 'line-up and wait runway 10,' the captain asked if it was clear right, and myself and the so saw no traffic on final. The captain taxied the 500 ft from the 'holding point' runway 10, into position with no traffic in sight. An aircraft called going missed approach at least 15 seconds after we were in position runway 10. The tower then asked if we realized we were to line-up after the landing aircraft (type and company unknown) and the captain responded 'negative.' a few seconds later we were cleared for takeoff. My perception is that no matter how diligent, aware, and safety-conscious a crew is in a foreign country, the language barrier can cause problems with safe communications. All 3 crew members heard the same radio transmission from tower, and I repeated it to tower afterwards. Tower did not correct my response, final was clear, we taxied accordingly. It was not a busy time of night at charles de gaulle. Supplemental information from acn 269179: possible corrective actions: better, more distinct english spoken by the french controller. Make sure the controller understands the clearance read back to him from the aircraft. The controller should be watching the aircraft and if it appears that the aircraft is not following his intended instructions, then he should stop the aircraft and either re-issue or explain the intended instructions, not ever issue a clearance for an aircraft to 'line up and wait' behind a landing aircraft that cannot be seen by the aircraft on the ground.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY ENTRY BY UNITED STATES ACR IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE IN A NIGHT OP WITH LNDG TFC ON FINAL. EVASIVE ACTION GAR. OPERROR.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING TO THE 'HOLDING POINT' FOR RWY 10, TALKING TO GND CTL ON 121.8, I ASKED GND CTL IF THEY WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CONTACT TWR. THEIR REPLY WAS TO CONTACT TWR ON 120.65. TWR WAS CONTACTED AS FOLLOWS: 'GOOD EVENING TWR, XX AT 'HOLDING POINT' FOR RWY 10.' TWR RESPONDED: 'ROGER LINE-UP AND WAIT RWY 10.' I REPLIED: 'LINE-UP AND WAIT RWY 10,' THE CAPT ASKED IF IT WAS CLR R, AND MYSELF AND THE SO SAW NO TFC ON FINAL. THE CAPT TAXIED THE 500 FT FROM THE 'HOLDING POINT' RWY 10, INTO POS WITH NO TFC IN SIGHT. AN ACFT CALLED GOING MISSED APCH AT LEAST 15 SECONDS AFTER WE WERE IN POS RWY 10. THE TWR THEN ASKED IF WE REALIZED WE WERE TO LINE-UP AFTER THE LNDG ACFT (TYPE AND COMPANY UNKNOWN) AND THE CAPT RESPONDED 'NEGATIVE.' A FEW SECONDS LATER WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. MY PERCEPTION IS THAT NO MATTER HOW DILIGENT, AWARE, AND SAFETY-CONSCIOUS A CREW IS IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, THE LANGUAGE BARRIER CAN CAUSE PROBS WITH SAFE COMS. ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS HEARD THE SAME RADIO XMISSION FROM TWR, AND I REPEATED IT TO TWR AFTERWARDS. TWR DID NOT CORRECT MY RESPONSE, FINAL WAS CLR, WE TAXIED ACCORDINGLY. IT WAS NOT A BUSY TIME OF NIGHT AT CHARLES DE GAULLE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 269179: POSSIBLE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: BETTER, MORE DISTINCT ENGLISH SPOKEN BY THE FRENCH CTLR. MAKE SURE THE CTLR UNDERSTANDS THE CLRNC READ BACK TO HIM FROM THE ACFT. THE CTLR SHOULD BE WATCHING THE ACFT AND IF IT APPEARS THAT THE ACFT IS NOT FOLLOWING HIS INTENDED INSTRUCTIONS, THEN HE SHOULD STOP THE ACFT AND EITHER RE-ISSUE OR EXPLAIN THE INTENDED INSTRUCTIONS, NOT EVER ISSUE A CLRNC FOR AN ACFT TO 'LINE UP AND WAIT' BEHIND A LNDG ACFT THAT CANNOT BE SEEN BY THE ACFT ON THE GND.

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.