B757 flight crew's first time into tapa vc bird international airport, results in approach track cha...

Attributes
ACN	616106
Time
Date	200404
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : elopo
State Reference	PR
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zsu.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	616106
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

This was the first time the first officer or I had been to antigua for 12 yrs. Vc bird airport at antigua is a non radar environment. We were proceeding direct to the anu VOR when handed off to vc bird approach. The ATIS listed runway 7 as the active, the WX VFR, and no approach was listed. We, therefore, expected a visual, since we had the runway in sight. We both had difficulty understanding the controller. He gave us a clearance which sounded like 'proceed direct to the anu 310 degree radial 40 DME.' this was not a named intersection or a point on an approach. I questioned the clearance, but it was several mins before the controller answered due to frequency congestion. The controller replied with what sounded like 'proceed to omrel intersection.' we scrambled to figure this out, and it turned out to be a point on the VOR DME 7 approach. The controller subsequently questioned our position, and then gave us what sounded like 'intercept the 319 degree radial inbound.' we turned to do this, then he told us to intercept the 12 DME arc. This turned out to be a segment of the VOR approach, with an IAF at the 004 degree radial. We then intercepted the arc and completed the approach. I don't think we conflicted with any traffic. Several points need to be made. The controller was difficult to understand. It appears as if they use 'standard' procedures, which are unpublished and very confusing to pilots not familiar with vc bird. They never cleared us for a published approach, although it appears they expected us to fly one. We also experienced confusion on departure, anu-sju. Ground would not give us a clearance until we were on the runway back-taxiing, and then gave us a confusing clearance with several radials and crossing altitudes. I was trying to do a 180 degree turn on the runway in a B757 while the first officer was copying the clearance. They then told us to depart immediately due to traffic on final. This is not necessary and is unsafe. If they want radials and crossing altitudes, they should publish the procedure, or give the clearance in the chocks.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW'S FIRST TIME INTO TAPA VC BIRD INTL ARPT, RESULTS IN APCH TRACK CHANGES AS MULTIPLE TAPA CTLR CLRNCS ARE ISSUED AS FLT CREW ASKS FOR RTE CLARIFICATIONS.

Narrative: THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE FO OR I HAD BEEN TO ANTIGUA FOR 12 YRS. VC BIRD ARPT AT ANTIGUA IS A NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT. WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT TO THE ANU VOR WHEN HANDED OFF TO VC BIRD APCH. THE ATIS LISTED RWY 7 AS THE ACTIVE, THE WX VFR, AND NO APCH WAS LISTED. WE, THEREFORE, EXPECTED A VISUAL, SINCE WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT. WE BOTH HAD DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THE CTLR. HE GAVE US A CLRNC WHICH SOUNDED LIKE 'PROCEED DIRECT TO THE ANU 310 DEG RADIAL 40 DME.' THIS WAS NOT A NAMED INTXN OR A POINT ON AN APCH. I QUESTIONED THE CLRNC, BUT IT WAS SEVERAL MINS BEFORE THE CTLR ANSWERED DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. THE CTLR REPLIED WITH WHAT SOUNDED LIKE 'PROCEED TO OMREL INTXN.' WE SCRAMBLED TO FIGURE THIS OUT, AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE A POINT ON THE VOR DME 7 APCH. THE CTLR SUBSEQUENTLY QUESTIONED OUR POS, AND THEN GAVE US WHAT SOUNDED LIKE 'INTERCEPT THE 319 DEG RADIAL INBOUND.' WE TURNED TO DO THIS, THEN HE TOLD US TO INTERCEPT THE 12 DME ARC. THIS TURNED OUT TO BE A SEGMENT OF THE VOR APCH, WITH AN IAF AT THE 004 DEG RADIAL. WE THEN INTERCEPTED THE ARC AND COMPLETED THE APCH. I DON'T THINK WE CONFLICTED WITH ANY TFC. SEVERAL POINTS NEED TO BE MADE. THE CTLR WAS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. IT APPEARS AS IF THEY USE 'STANDARD' PROCS, WHICH ARE UNPUBLISHED AND VERY CONFUSING TO PLTS NOT FAMILIAR WITH VC BIRD. THEY NEVER CLRED US FOR A PUBLISHED APCH, ALTHOUGH IT APPEARS THEY EXPECTED US TO FLY ONE. WE ALSO EXPERIENCED CONFUSION ON DEP, ANU-SJU. GND WOULD NOT GIVE US A CLRNC UNTIL WE WERE ON THE RWY BACK-TAXIING, AND THEN GAVE US A CONFUSING CLRNC WITH SEVERAL RADIALS AND XING ALTS. I WAS TRYING TO DO A 180 DEG TURN ON THE RWY IN A B757 WHILE THE FO WAS COPYING THE CLRNC. THEY THEN TOLD US TO DEPART IMMEDIATELY DUE TO TFC ON FINAL. THIS IS NOT NECESSARY AND IS UNSAFE. IF THEY WANT RADIALS AND XING ALTS, THEY SHOULD PUBLISH THE PROC, OR GIVE THE CLRNC IN THE CHOCKS.

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.

B757 flight crew's first time into tapa vc bird international airport, results in approach track changes as multiple tapa controller clrncs are issued as flight crew asks for route clarifications.