Narrative:

During descent from FL330, our speed was restr to .80 mach until reaching 300 KTS. We were also instructed to maintain FL200. After leveling at FL200, we were given descent clearance to 6000 ft at approximately 40 mi from ymx, speed our discretion. I accelerated to 335 KIAS, and announced my intention to accelerate and descend according to ICAO rules. Descending through 8000 ft, arrs made a comment about speed, which we didn't understand. We asked him to repeat, and he said he 'could not waive the 250 KT restr.' I immediately slowed to 250 KIAS. I had reviewed canadian procedures before the flight, but did not review them before descent. My previous trip had been to the caribbean and I confused canadian descent speed restrs with ICAO rules. Having been awake all night, I should have reviewed procedures just before I needed them. My crew was tired also and didn't think to question whether or not my intentions for descent were appropriate. As an infrequent visitor to canada, I should have been more conservative. To prevent this problem, we should all have same rules. (On a country- by-country basis) having multiple pages of differences in procedures in a commercial manual make no sense if you are staying up all night. If we had a company standard profile for international descent, climbs and etc, this unnecessary headwork would be eliminated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT ACFT CLRED FOR DSCNT WITH MAX SPD OF 300 KTS. UPON SWITCHING TO NEW CTLR OUT OF 20000 FT, FLC CLRED FOR EXPEDITED DSCNT TO 6000 FT AND SPD RESTR LIFTED. HAVING FLOWN OUT OF CANADA AND NOT HAVING SPD RESTR DURING CLB ABOVE 3000 FT, CAPT ASSUMED THE SAME RULE APPLIED FOR DSCNT. CTLR INTERVENED TO ADVISE FLC OF SPD RESTR OF 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT FROM FL330, OUR SPD WAS RESTR TO .80 MACH UNTIL REACHING 300 KTS. WE WERE ALSO INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN FL200. AFTER LEVELING AT FL200, WE WERE GIVEN DSCNT CLRNC TO 6000 FT AT APPROX 40 MI FROM YMX, SPD OUR DISCRETION. I ACCELERATED TO 335 KIAS, AND ANNOUNCED MY INTENTION TO ACCELERATE AND DSND ACCORDING TO ICAO RULES. DSNDING THROUGH 8000 FT, ARRS MADE A COMMENT ABOUT SPD, WHICH WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. WE ASKED HIM TO REPEAT, AND HE SAID HE 'COULD NOT WAIVE THE 250 KT RESTR.' I IMMEDIATELY SLOWED TO 250 KIAS. I HAD REVIEWED CANADIAN PROCS BEFORE THE FLT, BUT DID NOT REVIEW THEM BEFORE DSCNT. MY PREVIOUS TRIP HAD BEEN TO THE CARIBBEAN AND I CONFUSED CANADIAN DSCNT SPD RESTRS WITH ICAO RULES. HAVING BEEN AWAKE ALL NIGHT, I SHOULD HAVE REVIEWED PROCS JUST BEFORE I NEEDED THEM. MY CREW WAS TIRED ALSO AND DIDN'T THINK TO QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT MY INTENTIONS FOR DSCNT WERE APPROPRIATE. AS AN INFREQUENT VISITOR TO CANADA, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CONSERVATIVE. TO PREVENT THIS PROB, WE SHOULD ALL HAVE SAME RULES. (ON A COUNTRY- BY-COUNTRY BASIS) HAVING MULTIPLE PAGES OF DIFFERENCES IN PROCS IN A COMMERCIAL MANUAL MAKE NO SENSE IF YOU ARE STAYING UP ALL NIGHT. IF WE HAD A COMPANY STANDARD PROFILE FOR INTL DSCNT, CLBS AND ETC, THIS UNNECESSARY HEADWORK WOULD BE ELIMINATED.

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.