Narrative:

Our part 2 pages for sna indicate procedures for flying into sna regarding the class B airspace. The week prior to this flight, on the exact same trip, we told ATC we would like to fly at 225 KTS for minimum safe speed and his reply was 'we cannot approve or disapprove the speed.' this week we flew at 225 KTS which was minimum safe speed without extending the slats. Approach called us and mentioned the class B airspace. We extended the slats and slowed to 200 KIAS. We then asked him if it was not ok to fly at our minimum safe speed and he said 'with lots of slower airplanes around they would prefer 200 KTS.' we said 'from now on I guess we will must have to put out the slats and fly 200 KTS.' there seems to be some confusion -- at least in this crew's opinion as to what our manual wants us to do versus what ATC wants us to do. Flying at 200 KIAS for the entire class B will cost substantial time and fuel which we are trying to save, especially now. Until we receive further clarification, we will have to comply with the 200 KT restr. Our manuals should simply state that we are to extend the slats/flaps to comply with the 200 KTS, in my opinion. I have asked this of other controllers and they all say the same thing -- we cannot approve or disapprove any speeds in the class B airspace. Many of us feel this is a gray area that needs to be clarified.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PLT QUESTIONS CONFUSION ON SPDS REQUIRED AND COMPANY POLICY FOR PROCS IN THE SNA, CA, CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: OUR PART 2 PAGES FOR SNA INDICATE PROCS FOR FLYING INTO SNA REGARDING THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. THE WK PRIOR TO THIS FLT, ON THE EXACT SAME TRIP, WE TOLD ATC WE WOULD LIKE TO FLY AT 225 KTS FOR MINIMUM SAFE SPD AND HIS REPLY WAS 'WE CANNOT APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE THE SPD.' THIS WK WE FLEW AT 225 KTS WHICH WAS MINIMUM SAFE SPD WITHOUT EXTENDING THE SLATS. APCH CALLED US AND MENTIONED THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. WE EXTENDED THE SLATS AND SLOWED TO 200 KIAS. WE THEN ASKED HIM IF IT WAS NOT OK TO FLY AT OUR MINIMUM SAFE SPD AND HE SAID 'WITH LOTS OF SLOWER AIRPLANES AROUND THEY WOULD PREFER 200 KTS.' WE SAID 'FROM NOW ON I GUESS WE WILL MUST HAVE TO PUT OUT THE SLATS AND FLY 200 KTS.' THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME CONFUSION -- AT LEAST IN THIS CREW'S OPINION AS TO WHAT OUR MANUAL WANTS US TO DO VERSUS WHAT ATC WANTS US TO DO. FLYING AT 200 KIAS FOR THE ENTIRE CLASS B WILL COST SUBSTANTIAL TIME AND FUEL WHICH WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE, ESPECIALLY NOW. UNTIL WE RECEIVE FURTHER CLARIFICATION, WE WILL HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE 200 KT RESTR. OUR MANUALS SHOULD SIMPLY STATE THAT WE ARE TO EXTEND THE SLATS/FLAPS TO COMPLY WITH THE 200 KTS, IN MY OPINION. I HAVE ASKED THIS OF OTHER CTLRS AND THEY ALL SAY THE SAME THING -- WE CANNOT APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE ANY SPDS IN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. MANY OF US FEEL THIS IS A GRAY AREA THAT NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED.

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.