Narrative:

Pushback and taxi from gate normal. At the holding point of runway 9, tower advised us of a 4 min delay due to en route spacing. After 4 mins, tower changed our departure from mares 1 to rekon 3. We changed departure and told to position and hold after landing traffic. We complied, but questioned traffic on final as to where he was landing. The traffic seemed too close for us to accomplish takeoff prior to landing traffic clearing. Tower cleared us for takeoff and as soon as power up to 80% and brake release, tower canceled our takeoff clearance and sent the other traffic around. Prior to going into position, first officer questioned tower as to what runway the traffic was landing on since landing clearance was given in spanish. Tower mumbled something about the right and that's why I went into position and hold. Problem #1: changing departure on us as we were told to position and hold. Problem #2: all communications with other aircraft were in spanish and therefore we were kept out of the loop as far as situational awareness of what other aircraft are doing, their clrncs. Problem #3: controller english poor at best. We asked what he was doing with aircraft on final and he acknowledged what he was told. If the controllers use of english on constant basis, they just might get better at it. Lesson learned: if it does not seem right -- it probably isn't. Should have held short even if cleared into position because aircraft on final seemed closer than required to conduct safe takeoff.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 CREW AT CARACAS (CCS) FOLLOWED TWR'S INSTRUCTIONS, TAXIED ONTO THE RWY AND STARTED TKOF ROLL. TWR CANCELED TKOF CLRNC AND HAD LNDG TFC MAKE A GAR.

Narrative: PUSHBACK AND TAXI FROM GATE NORMAL. AT THE HOLDING POINT OF RWY 9, TWR ADVISED US OF A 4 MIN DELAY DUE TO ENRTE SPACING. AFTER 4 MINS, TWR CHANGED OUR DEP FROM MARES 1 TO REKON 3. WE CHANGED DEP AND TOLD TO POS AND HOLD AFTER LNDG TFC. WE COMPLIED, BUT QUESTIONED TFC ON FINAL AS TO WHERE HE WAS LNDG. THE TFC SEEMED TOO CLOSE FOR US TO ACCOMPLISH TKOF PRIOR TO LNDG TFC CLRING. TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF AND AS SOON AS PWR UP TO 80% AND BRAKE RELEASE, TWR CANCELED OUR TKOF CLRNC AND SENT THE OTHER TFC AROUND. PRIOR TO GOING INTO POS, FO QUESTIONED TWR AS TO WHAT RWY THE TFC WAS LNDG ON SINCE LNDG CLRNC WAS GIVEN IN SPANISH. TWR MUMBLED SOMETHING ABOUT THE RIGHT AND THAT'S WHY I WENT INTO POS AND HOLD. PROB #1: CHANGING DEP ON US AS WE WERE TOLD TO POS AND HOLD. PROB #2: ALL COMS WITH OTHER ACFT WERE IN SPANISH AND THEREFORE WE WERE KEPT OUT OF THE LOOP AS FAR AS SITUATIONAL AWARENESS OF WHAT OTHER ACFT ARE DOING, THEIR CLRNCS. PROB #3: CTLR ENGLISH POOR AT BEST. WE ASKED WHAT HE WAS DOING WITH ACFT ON FINAL AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED WHAT HE WAS TOLD. IF THE CTLRS USE OF ENGLISH ON CONSTANT BASIS, THEY JUST MIGHT GET BETTER AT IT. LESSON LEARNED: IF IT DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT -- IT PROBABLY ISN'T. SHOULD HAVE HELD SHORT EVEN IF CLRED INTO POS BECAUSE ACFT ON FINAL SEEMED CLOSER THAN REQUIRED TO CONDUCT SAFE TKOF.

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.