Narrative:

Prior to reaching buf VOR we were cleared direct to iston intersection and shortly thereafter we were cleared to linng intersection and the profile descent to runway 6L&right. Going direct to linng intersection from our present position would cross the 39 DME between iston and abcid intersection. The aug/xx/94 chart has 1 arrow pointing to the 39 DME with the instructions cross yyz 39 DME at or between FL180 - 12000 ft. The jan/yy/95 chart has 2 arrows, 1 pointing to iston and 1 pointing to abcid intersection with the same instructions. We were cleared to linng intersection and did not cross iston or abcid but between the 2 intxns. We descended as per the linng intersection restr. We reached 10000 ft at or about the 39 DME. Please reply and reference any documents or material to clarify this situation. Enclosed are copies of the old and new profile descent for runway 6L&right. I called toronto center by phone and it was their opinion that the minimum altitude at the 39 DME is still 12000 ft. They could not reference anything specifically. My question is: if they are correct, why change the arrows? Also, please note the bottom of the chart indicating reason for the revision. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that he was cleared present position direct lining and the profile descent runways 6. If he had been cleared the profile descent runway 6 via linng direct toronto he would have felt there was more the possibility that he had to make the 39 DME arc altitude restr. He descended on down to 10000 ft to avoid some icing. The controller noticing what he had done contacted the buffalo facility and negotiated his being in their airspace and then mentioned to the reporter that he was not to be below 12000 ft until inside the 39 DME arc but there was no problem and to continue at 10000 ft that there is no traffic conflict for him at that altitude. A call to the commercial chart maker revealed that the arrows on the approach plate were changed due a pilot confused by the arrows pointing to the arc rather than the intxns. They are in the process of revising this by adding more arrows and changing the wording. Supposedly, the change should become effective on 3/10/95. The reporter was advised of the information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR DOES NOT RECOGNIZE DME ARC ALT RESTRS BECAUSE THE CHART LEGEND DOES NOT DEPICT A DME ARC AS AN ALT RESTR.

Narrative: PRIOR TO REACHING BUF VOR WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO ISTON INTXN AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE WERE CLRED TO LINNG INTXN AND THE PROFILE DSCNT TO RWY 6L&R. GOING DIRECT TO LINNG INTXN FROM OUR PRESENT POS WOULD CROSS THE 39 DME BTWN ISTON AND ABCID INTXN. THE AUG/XX/94 CHART HAS 1 ARROW POINTING TO THE 39 DME WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS CROSS YYZ 39 DME AT OR BTWN FL180 - 12000 FT. THE JAN/YY/95 CHART HAS 2 ARROWS, 1 POINTING TO ISTON AND 1 POINTING TO ABCID INTXN WITH THE SAME INSTRUCTIONS. WE WERE CLRED TO LINNG INTXN AND DID NOT CROSS ISTON OR ABCID BUT BTWN THE 2 INTXNS. WE DSNDED AS PER THE LINNG INTXN RESTR. WE REACHED 10000 FT AT OR ABOUT THE 39 DME. PLEASE REPLY AND REF ANY DOCUMENTS OR MATERIAL TO CLARIFY THIS SIT. ENCLOSED ARE COPIES OF THE OLD AND NEW PROFILE DSCNT FOR RWY 6L&R. I CALLED TORONTO CTR BY PHONE AND IT WAS THEIR OPINION THAT THE MINIMUM ALT AT THE 39 DME IS STILL 12000 FT. THEY COULD NOT REF ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY. MY QUESTION IS: IF THEY ARE CORRECT, WHY CHANGE THE ARROWS? ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THE BOTTOM OF THE CHART INDICATING REASON FOR THE REVISION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT HE WAS CLRED PRESENT POS DIRECT LINING AND THE PROFILE DSCNT RWYS 6. IF HE HAD BEEN CLRED THE PROFILE DSCNT RWY 6 VIA LINNG DIRECT TORONTO HE WOULD HAVE FELT THERE WAS MORE THE POSSIBILITY THAT HE HAD TO MAKE THE 39 DME ARC ALT RESTR. HE DSNDED ON DOWN TO 10000 FT TO AVOID SOME ICING. THE CTLR NOTICING WHAT HE HAD DONE CONTACTED THE BUFFALO FACILITY AND NEGOTIATED HIS BEING IN THEIR AIRSPACE AND THEN MENTIONED TO THE RPTR THAT HE WAS NOT TO BE BELOW 12000 FT UNTIL INSIDE THE 39 DME ARC BUT THERE WAS NO PROB AND TO CONTINUE AT 10000 FT THAT THERE IS NO TFC CONFLICT FOR HIM AT THAT ALT. A CALL TO THE COMMERCIAL CHART MAKER REVEALED THAT THE ARROWS ON THE APCH PLATE WERE CHANGED DUE A PLT CONFUSED BY THE ARROWS POINTING TO THE ARC RATHER THAN THE INTXNS. THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REVISING THIS BY ADDING MORE ARROWS AND CHANGING THE WORDING. SUPPOSEDLY, THE CHANGE SHOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE ON 3/10/95. THE RPTR WAS ADVISED OF THE INFO.

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.