Narrative:

Unclr taxi instructions. We were #2 holding short of runway 34 on taxiway a at the departure end of the runway at sjd. There is no taxiway so all aircraft landing and departing on runway 34 must back-taxi from taxiway a onto runway 34 and position and hold after landing aircraft has taxied off the departure end of runway 34. Aircraft #1 holding short of runway 34 at taxiway a was cleared to taxi and position and hold runway 34. We were #2 holding short and were cleared to 'taxi to the second hold point.' I was confused by this call so after looking at the airport diagram for any indication of what the 'second hold point' was and finding none, the captain asked the tower 'was that the point down the runway and off to the side?' and the tower acknowledged that it was. There is a small holding area 1000-2000 ft from the departure end of runway 34 on the east side. Both myself and the captain discussed this and both agreed that he wanted us to taxi down the runway and hold off the side while the aircraft ahead of us was back-taxiing to 'position and hold' on runway 34, thus saving time. After we taxied onto the runway about 50 yards, the tower called and asked why we had taxied onto the runway. We were told to make a 180 degree turn and taxi off of runway 34 and get in the back of the line. Really confused by the tower terminology and that is why we asked what he meant by 'second hold point.' it is obvious that he didn't understand what the captain had asked him. If the controller had used standard ICAO terminology and just said 'hold short of runway 34' or simply said nothing, this would not have occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW WAS GIVEN CONFUSING AND NON STANDARD TAXI CLRNC AT MMSD.

Narrative: UNCLR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. WE WERE #2 HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 34 ON TXWY A AT THE DEP END OF THE RWY AT SJD. THERE IS NO TXWY SO ALL ACFT LNDG AND DEPARTING ON RWY 34 MUST BACK-TAXI FROM TXWY A ONTO RWY 34 AND POS AND HOLD AFTER LNDG ACFT HAS TAXIED OFF THE DEP END OF RWY 34. ACFT #1 HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 34 AT TXWY A WAS CLRED TO TAXI AND POS AND HOLD RWY 34. WE WERE #2 HOLDING SHORT AND WERE CLRED TO 'TAXI TO THE SECOND HOLD POINT.' I WAS CONFUSED BY THIS CALL SO AFTER LOOKING AT THE ARPT DIAGRAM FOR ANY INDICATION OF WHAT THE 'SECOND HOLD POINT' WAS AND FINDING NONE, THE CAPT ASKED THE TWR 'WAS THAT THE POINT DOWN THE RWY AND OFF TO THE SIDE?' AND THE TWR ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT WAS. THERE IS A SMALL HOLDING AREA 1000-2000 FT FROM THE DEP END OF RWY 34 ON THE E SIDE. BOTH MYSELF AND THE CAPT DISCUSSED THIS AND BOTH AGREED THAT HE WANTED US TO TAXI DOWN THE RWY AND HOLD OFF THE SIDE WHILE THE ACFT AHEAD OF US WAS BACK-TAXIING TO 'POS AND HOLD' ON RWY 34, THUS SAVING TIME. AFTER WE TAXIED ONTO THE RWY ABOUT 50 YARDS, THE TWR CALLED AND ASKED WHY WE HAD TAXIED ONTO THE RWY. WE WERE TOLD TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN AND TAXI OFF OF RWY 34 AND GET IN THE BACK OF THE LINE. REALLY CONFUSED BY THE TWR TERMINOLOGY AND THAT IS WHY WE ASKED WHAT HE MEANT BY 'SECOND HOLD POINT.' IT IS OBVIOUS THAT HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CAPT HAD ASKED HIM. IF THE CTLR HAD USED STANDARD ICAO TERMINOLOGY AND JUST SAID 'HOLD SHORT OF RWY 34' OR SIMPLY SAID NOTHING, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED.

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.