Narrative:

1 hour after coasting in to canada from atlantic crossing, we were challenged about 1) being at FL350, and 2) about our rvsm status. Fair challenges, as this is the rvsm transition area and is published as such on the charts. We were not rvsm, we were filed without the 'west,' and in remarks stated non rvsm. No problem. Then 2 hours later, just 100 mi northeast of canada/maine border (in an area clearly not rvsm, or rvsm transition) we were challenged again. Later in the day, I learned that mouncton center has 'created' a municipal, informal, non charted rvsm, informal area, and that other 'informal' rvsm areas exist in conus -- all unpublished, unknown to most pilots. Stop the secrets -- publish the information! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated that he discussed the situation with is company's ARTCC rvsm representative and that individual indicated some ARTCC's are assigning domestic route areas as rvsm. He suggested that it is a fault in the system and that the ctrs do not publish this fact, but do it randomly. Although most transatlantic air carrier's are rvsm equipped, this company is still backfitting their aircraft and are using non rvsm equipped aircraft. ARTCC should follow the instructions in order to eliminate any confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 FLC, AFTER TRANSITING FROM THE NORTH ATLANTIC RTE SYS TO THE DOMESTIC RTE SYS, IS CHALLENGED BY ARTCC REGARDING THEIR REDUCED VERT SEPARATION MINIMUM (RVSM) CAPABILITIES AND ALT.

Narrative: 1 HR AFTER COASTING IN TO CANADA FROM ATLANTIC XING, WE WERE CHALLENGED ABOUT 1) BEING AT FL350, AND 2) ABOUT OUR RVSM STATUS. FAIR CHALLENGES, AS THIS IS THE RVSM TRANSITION AREA AND IS PUBLISHED AS SUCH ON THE CHARTS. WE WERE NOT RVSM, WE WERE FILED WITHOUT THE 'W,' AND IN REMARKS STATED NON RVSM. NO PROB. THEN 2 HRS LATER, JUST 100 MI NE OF CANADA/MAINE BORDER (IN AN AREA CLRLY NOT RVSM, OR RVSM TRANSITION) WE WERE CHALLENGED AGAIN. LATER IN THE DAY, I LEARNED THAT MOUNCTON CTR HAS 'CREATED' A MUNI, INFORMAL, NON CHARTED RVSM, INFORMAL AREA, AND THAT OTHER 'INFORMAL' RVSM AREAS EXIST IN CONUS -- ALL UNPUBLISHED, UNKNOWN TO MOST PLTS. STOP THE SECRETS -- PUBLISH THE INFO! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THAT HE DISCUSSED THE SIT WITH IS COMPANY'S ARTCC RVSM REPRESENTATIVE AND THAT INDIVIDUAL INDICATED SOME ARTCC'S ARE ASSIGNING DOMESTIC RTE AREAS AS RVSM. HE SUGGESTED THAT IT IS A FAULT IN THE SYS AND THAT THE CTRS DO NOT PUBLISH THIS FACT, BUT DO IT RANDOMLY. ALTHOUGH MOST TRANSATLANTIC ACR'S ARE RVSM EQUIPPED, THIS COMPANY IS STILL BACKFITTING THEIR ACFT AND ARE USING NON RVSM EQUIPPED ACFT. ARTCC SHOULD FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE ANY CONFUSION.

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.