Narrative:

While preparing for departure from santa flight engineer, we were issued the clearance 'poake 1 departure, as filed, altitude will be assigned with takeoff clearance.' when ready for takeoff, the tower assigned us 'cleared for takeoff, climb and maintain 12000 ft, cleared to climb on course.' I was not sure what the tower meant by 'cleared to climb on course.' we questioned him whether we still had to adhere to the poake departure or whether we were no longer required to do this procedure. He told us that 'climb on course' meant that we needed to do the procedure but did not have to adhere to the altitude restrs, so we continued our climb to 12000 ft. Once we were in contact with ATC, we were questioned about our altitude and if we were adhering to the crossing restrs. I told the controller of the conversation we had with the tower controller. ATC's response was that the tower did not have the authority/authorized to give that clearance and that we needed to adhere to the altitude restrs. Through a conversation with center, I was told that it was not a big deal this time, but that in the future this could become a problem. The terminology that santa flight engineer tower is using is confusing, nonstandard and is very misleading. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: crew was flying a B190 aircraft. The problem was with the ZAB ARTCC radar controller. Captain has reported the incident to his chief pilot and the company director of flight safety. They have learned, in an ongoing investigation, there is an LOA issued between saf tower and ZAB regarding altitude clearance restrs. Saf is a contract tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC WAS ISSUED A CLB CLRNC BY THE ATCT LCL CTLR, THAT THE ZAB CTLR CLAIMED HE DID NOT HAVE AUTH TO ISSUE, ON THE POAKE 1 SID AT SAF.

Narrative: WHILE PREPARING FOR DEP FROM SANTA FE, WE WERE ISSUED THE CLRNC 'POAKE 1 DEP, AS FILED, ALT WILL BE ASSIGNED WITH TKOF CLRNC.' WHEN READY FOR TKOF, THE TWR ASSIGNED US 'CLRED FOR TKOF, CLB AND MAINTAIN 12000 FT, CLRED TO CLB ON COURSE.' I WAS NOT SURE WHAT THE TWR MEANT BY 'CLRED TO CLB ON COURSE.' WE QUESTIONED HIM WHETHER WE STILL HAD TO ADHERE TO THE POAKE DEP OR WHETHER WE WERE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO DO THIS PROC. HE TOLD US THAT 'CLB ON COURSE' MEANT THAT WE NEEDED TO DO THE PROC BUT DID NOT HAVE TO ADHERE TO THE ALT RESTRS, SO WE CONTINUED OUR CLB TO 12000 FT. ONCE WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH ATC, WE WERE QUESTIONED ABOUT OUR ALT AND IF WE WERE ADHERING TO THE XING RESTRS. I TOLD THE CTLR OF THE CONVERSATION WE HAD WITH THE TWR CTLR. ATC'S RESPONSE WAS THAT THE TWR DID NOT HAVE THE AUTH TO GIVE THAT CLRNC AND THAT WE NEEDED TO ADHERE TO THE ALT RESTRS. THROUGH A CONVERSATION WITH CTR, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT A BIG DEAL THIS TIME, BUT THAT IN THE FUTURE THIS COULD BECOME A PROB. THE TERMINOLOGY THAT SANTA FE TWR IS USING IS CONFUSING, NONSTANDARD AND IS VERY MISLEADING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CREW WAS FLYING A B190 ACFT. THE PROB WAS WITH THE ZAB ARTCC RADAR CTLR. CAPT HAS RPTED THE INCIDENT TO HIS CHIEF PLT AND THE COMPANY DIRECTOR OF FLT SAFETY. THEY HAVE LEARNED, IN AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION, THERE IS AN LOA ISSUED BTWN SAF TWR AND ZAB REGARDING ALT CLRNC RESTRS. SAF IS A CONTRACT TWR.

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.