Narrative:

Cleared visual runway 25R lax. Another aircraft (B777) on approach 25L. Reported aircraft on 25L in sight 11 O'clock range 3 mi. Socal cleared us visual for 25R, follow aircraft on 25L to the field 'pull up alongside.' told controller 'unable.' told controller we would keep our speed up to the field, but can't fly 'formation' with another aircraft in part 121. Who's the formation leader? Wake turbulence separation? Etc. Seems to be reoccurring at lax with socal apches recently. Controller using non-standard controller procedure's and non-standard radio terminology. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised other aircraft was a B777. Reporter advised that this controller terminology had been previously challenged by company and the sct controller's had not been using this phraseology until again recently. The pilot advised that company determined that this technique established a 'flying formation' condition, and as such, was not authorized by the far's nor company operating procedure's. Company advised it's crews to refuse all such clearance's.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SF34 FLC ADVISES SCT CTLR WHEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO LAX 25R THAT HE WILL NOT 'FLY FORMATION' WITH ANOTHER ACR IBND TO RWY 25L.

Narrative: CLRED VISUAL RWY 25R LAX. ANOTHER ACFT (B777) ON APCH 25L. RPTED ACFT ON 25L IN SIGHT 11 O'CLOCK RANGE 3 MI. SOCAL CLRED US VISUAL FOR 25R, FOLLOW ACFT ON 25L TO THE FIELD 'PULL UP ALONGSIDE.' TOLD CTLR 'UNABLE.' TOLD CTLR WE WOULD KEEP OUR SPEED UP TO THE FIELD, BUT CAN'T FLY 'FORMATION' WITH ANOTHER ACFT IN PART 121. WHO'S THE FORMATION LEADER? WAKE TURB SEPARATION? ETC. SEEMS TO BE REOCCURRING AT LAX WITH SOCAL APCHES RECENTLY. CTLR USING NON-STANDARD CTLR PROC'S AND NON-STANDARD RADIO TERMINOLOGY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED OTHER ACFT WAS A B777. RPTR ADVISED THAT THIS CTLR TERMINOLOGY HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY CHALLENGED BY COMPANY AND THE SCT CTLR'S HAD NOT BEEN USING THIS PHRASEOLOGY UNTIL AGAIN RECENTLY. THE PLT ADVISED THAT COMPANY DETERMINED THAT THIS TECHNIQUE ESTABLISHED A 'FLYING FORMATION' CONDITION, AND AS SUCH, WAS NOT AUTHORIZED BY THE FAR'S NOR COMPANY OPERATING PROC'S. COMPANY ADVISED IT'S CREWS TO REFUSE ALL SUCH CLRNC'S.

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.