Narrative:

First officer flying pdz 3 arrival. East of trtle, ATC clears us to 16000 ft. At some point later, ATC instructs us to fly the arrival. Crossing trtle first officer begins to fly the descent profile as depicted in the arrival. Passing 13000 ft for 12000 ft, ATC says, 'say altitude' to our flight. The response is 'through for 12,000 ft.' he says, ' didn't you get the maintain 16000 ft?' neither the copilot nor I ever heard 'maintain' and my response was exactly that to the controller. 'We never heard maintain sir.' there has obviously been a miscom or interpretation by us of the clearance. Here is an arrival with numerous stepdowns. If the word 'maintain' had been used, I feel certain that is what we would have done. So the question becomes when told to 'fly the arrival' does that mean the course to include stepdowns? A clearance of 'descend via the arrival' would be more informational. Example: coast 2 arrival houston makes it very clear when you may descend, when you may not. I suggest similar notes be published on the pdz 3 into lax or any other arrival that is complex with numerous stepdowns. From now on, I will surely ask for clarification on the descent portion of an arrival if I do not specifically hear 'descend via the XXX arrival.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT CREW DISPUTES AND OR MISUNDERSTANDS ALT CLRNC OTHER THAN DEPICTED ON THE ARR INTO LAX.

Narrative: FO FLYING PDZ 3 ARR. E OF TRTLE, ATC CLRS US TO 16000 FT. AT SOME POINT LATER, ATC INSTRUCTS US TO FLY THE ARR. XING TRTLE FO BEGINS TO FLY THE DSCNT PROFILE AS DEPICTED IN THE ARR. PASSING 13000 FT FOR 12000 FT, ATC SAYS, 'SAY ALT' TO OUR FLT. THE RESPONSE IS 'THROUGH FOR 12,000 FT.' HE SAYS, ' DIDN'T YOU GET THE MAINTAIN 16000 FT?' NEITHER THE COPLT NOR I EVER HEARD 'MAINTAIN' AND MY RESPONSE WAS EXACTLY THAT TO THE CTLR. 'WE NEVER HEARD MAINTAIN SIR.' THERE HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN A MISCOM OR INTERP BY US OF THE CLRNC. HERE IS AN ARR WITH NUMEROUS STEPDOWNS. IF THE WORD 'MAINTAIN' HAD BEEN USED, I FEEL CERTAIN THAT IS WHAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE. SO THE QUESTION BECOMES WHEN TOLD TO 'FLY THE ARR' DOES THAT MEAN THE COURSE TO INCLUDE STEPDOWNS? A CLRNC OF 'DSND VIA THE ARR' WOULD BE MORE INFORMATIONAL. EXAMPLE: COAST 2 ARR HOUSTON MAKES IT VERY CLR WHEN YOU MAY DSND, WHEN YOU MAY NOT. I SUGGEST SIMILAR NOTES BE PUBLISHED ON THE PDZ 3 INTO LAX OR ANY OTHER ARR THAT IS COMPLEX WITH NUMEROUS STEPDOWNS. FROM NOW ON, I WILL SURELY ASK FOR CLARIFICATION ON THE DSCNT PORTION OF AN ARR IF I DO NOT SPECIFICALLY HEAR 'DSND VIA THE XXX ARR.'

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.