Narrative:

The event in question took place during taxi out from the air carrier ramp at sdf. The taxiway signage. Is very confusing in that it shows taxiway 'F' has a 90 degree bend. Basically, you can hold short of runway 17R on foxtrot on heading of 020 degrees or 110 degrees. The problem is that the local controllers have a different expectation of where you should hold short and where you should cross 17R in order to taxi to 17R. Earlier this month in order to preclude any problems, I specifically asked 'where do you want us to cross.' I was told to cross straight ahead from our ramp which crosses the departure end of runway 11, proceeds across 17R, turns right onto taxiway G, and then left on B to the end of 17R. On this particular day, we were given the same clearance as always. 'Taxi up to and hold short of 17R on F,' and subsequently 'cleared to cross 17R and taxi to 17R.' I proceeded across 17R exactly like I had on 6 prior occasions only to be told by the ground controller that I had missed foxtrot and was crossing 17R on a route that I hadn't been cleared for. I got on the radio and explained that this was the way I had been cleared to cross by previous controllers and that it was the route I was expected to follow. I also tried to explain that F makes a 90 degree turn and that you can hold short of 17R at two different locations on F. This was all to no avail. My recommendation is that the current taxiway F that crosses runway 11/29 be renamed F1 or that louisville ground be more precise and consistent with their taxi clearances. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advises that it is not that clear for the pilot when approaching taxiway F when exiting the ramp. Reporter alleges there are two signs at the ramp exit point. One shows signage - taxiway F, runway 11/29, runway 17R/35L. The other sign shows - taxiway F, runway 17R/35L. That's why the reporter requests a taxiway numbering change to add 'F1' for when the clearance to 'hold at runway 17R at taxiway F' is assigned. Reporter discussed this incident with other pilots and they allege that this specific taxi routing is issued by only one controller.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FLC CHALLENGED BY SDF GND CTLR ON TAXI RTE TAKEN.

Narrative: THE EVENT IN QUESTION TOOK PLACE DURING TAXI OUT FROM THE ACR RAMP AT SDF. THE TAXIWAY SIGNAGE. IS VERY CONFUSING IN THAT IT SHOWS TAXIWAY 'F' HAS A 90 DEGREE BEND. BASICALLY, YOU CAN HOLD SHORT OF RUNWAY 17R ON FOXTROT ON HEADING OF 020 DEGREES OR 110 DEGREES. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE LOCAL CONTROLLERS HAVE A DIFFERENT EXPECTATION OF WHERE YOU SHOULD HOLD SHORT AND WHERE YOU SHOULD CROSS 17R IN ORDER TO TAXI TO 17R. EARLIER THIS MONTH IN ORDER TO PRECLUDE ANY PROBLEMS, I SPECIFICALLY ASKED 'WHERE DO YOU WANT US TO CROSS.' I WAS TOLD TO CROSS STRAIGHT AHEAD FROM OUR RAMP WHICH CROSSES THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 11, PROCEEDS ACROSS 17R, TURNS RIGHT ONTO TAXIWAY G, AND THEN LEFT ON B TO THE END OF 17R. ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY, WE WERE GIVEN THE SAME CLEARANCE AS ALWAYS. 'TAXI UP TO AND HOLD SHORT OF 17R ON F,' AND SUBSEQUENTLY 'CLEARED TO CROSS 17R AND TAXI TO 17R.' I PROCEEDED ACROSS 17R EXACTLY LIKE I HAD ON 6 PRIOR OCCASIONS ONLY TO BE TOLD BY THE GROUND CONTROLLER THAT I HAD MISSED FOXTROT AND WAS CROSSING 17R ON A ROUTE THAT I HADN'T BEEN CLEARED FOR. I GOT ON THE RADIO AND EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS THE WAY I HAD BEEN CLEARED TO CROSS BY PREVIOUS CONTROLLERS AND THAT IT WAS THE ROUTE I WAS EXPECTED TO FOLLOW. I ALSO TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT F MAKES A 90 DEGREE TURN AND THAT YOU CAN HOLD SHORT OF 17R AT TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ON F. THIS WAS ALL TO NO AVAIL. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE CURRENT TAXIWAY F THAT CROSSES RUNWAY 11/29 BE RENAMED F1 OR THAT LOUISVILLE GROUND BE MORE PRECISE AND CONSISTENT WITH THEIR TAXI CLEARANCES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: RPTR ADVISES THAT IT IS NOT THAT CLR FOR THE PLT WHEN APPROACHING TXWY F WHEN EXITING THE RAMP. RPTR ALLEGES THERE ARE TWO SIGNS AT THE RAMP EXIT POINT. ONE SHOWS SIGNAGE - TXWY F, RWY 11/29, RWY 17R/35L. THE OTHER SIGN SHOWS - TXWY F, RWY 17R/35L. THAT'S WHY THE RPTR REQUESTS A TXWY NUMBERING CHANGE TO ADD 'F1' FOR WHEN THE CLRNC TO 'HOLD AT RWY 17R AT TXWY F' IS ASSIGNED. RPTR DISCUSSED THIS INCIDENT WITH OTHER PLTS AND THEY ALLEGE THAT THIS SPECIFIC TAXI ROUTING IS ISSUED BY ONLY ONE CTLR.

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.