Narrative:

While proceeding from the east of etbod intersection (port-au- prince) pap control was not responding to our calls. We contacted pap tower and were cleared to ganiv intersection via the ganiv 1A arrival. After passing etbod intersection, we departed 11000 ft for 6500 ft. We were proceeding via the pap 105 degree radial inbound to the pap VOR. As we passed the VOR at approximately 8500 ft, we tracked the pap 290 degree radial to the ganiv holding pattern. Pap tower asked what our altitude was. After we told them, they told us to climb to 11000 ft, then told us to maintain our present altitude instead. Pap tower explained we were cleared to ganiv intersection via etbod, then to pap VOR. They wanted us to maintain 11000 ft until crossing pap VOR. Poor radio quality and language difficulties contributed to this incident. Both the captain and I are very experienced flying to mtpp airport. This is a mountainous area, yet pap control, arrival and tower frequently change arrival instructions, with no concern for the flight crew. Another contributing factor is the lack of textual description on the arrival page. Instead, the page is cluttered with restrs and information that are hard to discern. In the future, to prevent any confusion, I plan on informing whatever controller I'm talking to of all altitude and course changes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ARRIVING A300 FLC STARTS THEIR DSCNT WITHOUT AN ALT CHANGE DURING THE ARR PROC INTO PAP, FO.

Narrative: WHILE PROCEEDING FROM THE E OF ETBOD INTXN (PORT-AU- PRINCE) PAP CTL WAS NOT RESPONDING TO OUR CALLS. WE CONTACTED PAP TWR AND WERE CLRED TO GANIV INTXN VIA THE GANIV 1A ARR. AFTER PASSING ETBOD INTXN, WE DEPARTED 11000 FT FOR 6500 FT. WE WERE PROCEEDING VIA THE PAP 105 DEG RADIAL INBOUND TO THE PAP VOR. AS WE PASSED THE VOR AT APPROX 8500 FT, WE TRACKED THE PAP 290 DEG RADIAL TO THE GANIV HOLDING PATTERN. PAP TWR ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS. AFTER WE TOLD THEM, THEY TOLD US TO CLB TO 11000 FT, THEN TOLD US TO MAINTAIN OUR PRESENT ALT INSTEAD. PAP TWR EXPLAINED WE WERE CLRED TO GANIV INTXN VIA ETBOD, THEN TO PAP VOR. THEY WANTED US TO MAINTAIN 11000 FT UNTIL XING PAP VOR. POOR RADIO QUALITY AND LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT. BOTH THE CAPT AND I ARE VERY EXPERIENCED FLYING TO MTPP ARPT. THIS IS A MOUNTAINOUS AREA, YET PAP CTL, ARR AND TWR FREQUENTLY CHANGE ARR INSTRUCTIONS, WITH NO CONCERN FOR THE FLC. ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THE LACK OF TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION ON THE ARR PAGE. INSTEAD, THE PAGE IS CLUTTERED WITH RESTRS AND INFO THAT ARE HARD TO DISCERN. IN THE FUTURE, TO PREVENT ANY CONFUSION, I PLAN ON INFORMING WHATEVER CTLR I'M TALKING TO OF ALL ALT AND COURSE CHANGES.

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.