Narrative:

On the downwind leg for runway 10 in atl heading 270 degrees; speed 180 KTS. At 12 DME from atl we were told to turn right to 360 degrees. I thought this was strange because of runway 8R being closed and restr to 250 KTS from dbn on the canuk 3 arrival. The pilot monitoring read back; 'heading 360 air carrier X.' about 7-10 seconds later; approach asked what our heading was. The pilot monitoring responded; '360 degrees.' approach then said; 'air carrier X turn left to 350 degrees.' the pilot monitoring responded; 'air carrier X left to 360 degrees.' the controller immediately said; 'air carrier X turn left to 180 degrees and climb to 5000 ft.' we had been descending from 5000 ft to 4000 ft. We were at 4500 ft when we started the left turn and started to climb. At 4700 ft we got an RA to climb. We leveled at 5000 ft on a 180 degree heading. The controller apologized twice. I feel with the new runway procedures; a closed runway and inconsistent procedures; we were turned into a 20 mi final at the 12 mi mark. Whether this was due to ATC procedures or similar call signs; I don't know. I feel the atl approach airspace and ground safety are at a compromise until all runways are operational and a standardized operating procedure is developed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CTLR VECTORING A B757 FOR APCH TO ATL GAVE THE ACFT INCORRECT HDGS AND ALTS; PERHAPS DUE TO SIMILAR CALL SIGNS.

Narrative: ON THE DOWNWIND LEG FOR RWY 10 IN ATL HDG 270 DEGS; SPD 180 KTS. AT 12 DME FROM ATL WE WERE TOLD TO TURN R TO 360 DEGS. I THOUGHT THIS WAS STRANGE BECAUSE OF RWY 8R BEING CLOSED AND RESTR TO 250 KTS FROM DBN ON THE CANUK 3 ARR. THE PLT MONITORING READ BACK; 'HDG 360 ACR X.' ABOUT 7-10 SECONDS LATER; APCH ASKED WHAT OUR HDG WAS. THE PLT MONITORING RESPONDED; '360 DEGS.' APCH THEN SAID; 'ACR X TURN L TO 350 DEGS.' THE PLT MONITORING RESPONDED; 'ACR X L TO 360 DEGS.' THE CTLR IMMEDIATELY SAID; 'ACR X TURN L TO 180 DEGS AND CLB TO 5000 FT.' WE HAD BEEN DSNDING FROM 5000 FT TO 4000 FT. WE WERE AT 4500 FT WHEN WE STARTED THE L TURN AND STARTED TO CLB. AT 4700 FT WE GOT AN RA TO CLB. WE LEVELED AT 5000 FT ON A 180 DEG HDG. THE CTLR APOLOGIZED TWICE. I FEEL WITH THE NEW RWY PROCS; A CLOSED RWY AND INCONSISTENT PROCS; WE WERE TURNED INTO A 20 MI FINAL AT THE 12 MI MARK. WHETHER THIS WAS DUE TO ATC PROCS OR SIMILAR CALL SIGNS; I DON'T KNOW. I FEEL THE ATL APCH AIRSPACE AND GND SAFETY ARE AT A COMPROMISE UNTIL ALL RWYS ARE OPERATIONAL AND A STANDARDIZED OPERATING PROC IS DEVELOPED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.