Narrative:

I was flying on autoplt in the left seat with a high-experience first officer contract pilot with whom I had not flown before this trip (third leg of trip). We briefed the BARIN1 arrival and verified that the FMS contained the valid altitudes for RNAV descent. Over the falko fix on the BARIN1 STAR into iad; ZDC cleared us to 'descend to 9000 ft; BARIN1 arrival.' after passing bkv the first officer advised next altitude as 6000 ft and he set it into the preselect window. I began a 1500 FPM descent to cross barin at 6000 ft. At 6500 ft; ATC asked us for our altitude. We reported 6500 ft and were told to maintain that altitude for traffic 1500 ft below us. After the flight upon reviewing the STAR; I saw the note to maintain altitude until advised by ATC to 'descend via the BARIN1 arrival.' I had not noticed the note during the arrival; which was the first time I had used it. I believe that it would have been safer if 1) the note should have an arrow or be situated such that it is adjacent to the first depicted descent altitude. 1) ATC should use clrer phraseology; such as 'descend to and maintain 9000 ft until further advised' or 'do not descend via the BARIN1 arrival instructions.' this is the second arrival that I have seen with automatic crossing altitudes. The first time I saw one was the GRNPA1 at las. It is even worse with mandatory crossing altitudes and no notes or instructions. I had not received any training pertaining to these new vertical stars; not any notification of any sort that they existed (until I began the STAR and saw hard altitudes depicted). I cannot believe that these new procedures have been introduced with no notification to the flying public and no training or mention of them has been made; despite the thousands of dollars we spend every year for extensive recurrent training.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CE650 CREW DESCENDS ON THE BARIN1 RNAV ARRIVAL TO IAD WITHOUT RECEIVING CLEARANCE TO 'DESCEND VIA THE BARIN1.'

Narrative: I WAS FLYING ON AUTOPLT IN THE L SEAT WITH A HIGH-EXPERIENCE FO CONTRACT PLT WITH WHOM I HAD NOT FLOWN BEFORE THIS TRIP (THIRD LEG OF TRIP). WE BRIEFED THE BARIN1 ARR AND VERIFIED THAT THE FMS CONTAINED THE VALID ALTS FOR RNAV DSCNT. OVER THE FALKO FIX ON THE BARIN1 STAR INTO IAD; ZDC CLRED US TO 'DSND TO 9000 FT; BARIN1 ARR.' AFTER PASSING BKV THE FO ADVISED NEXT ALT AS 6000 FT AND HE SET IT INTO THE PRESELECT WINDOW. I BEGAN A 1500 FPM DSCNT TO CROSS BARIN AT 6000 FT. AT 6500 FT; ATC ASKED US FOR OUR ALT. WE RPTED 6500 FT AND WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN THAT ALT FOR TFC 1500 FT BELOW US. AFTER THE FLT UPON REVIEWING THE STAR; I SAW THE NOTE TO MAINTAIN ALT UNTIL ADVISED BY ATC TO 'DSND VIA THE BARIN1 ARR.' I HAD NOT NOTICED THE NOTE DURING THE ARR; WHICH WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD USED IT. I BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFER IF 1) THE NOTE SHOULD HAVE AN ARROW OR BE SITUATED SUCH THAT IT IS ADJACENT TO THE FIRST DEPICTED DSCNT ALT. 1) ATC SHOULD USE CLRER PHRASEOLOGY; SUCH AS 'DSND TO AND MAINTAIN 9000 FT UNTIL FURTHER ADVISED' OR 'DO NOT DSND VIA THE BARIN1 ARR INSTRUCTIONS.' THIS IS THE SECOND ARR THAT I HAVE SEEN WITH AUTO XING ALTS. THE FIRST TIME I SAW ONE WAS THE GRNPA1 AT LAS. IT IS EVEN WORSE WITH MANDATORY XING ALTS AND NO NOTES OR INSTRUCTIONS. I HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY TRAINING PERTAINING TO THESE NEW VERT STARS; NOT ANY NOTIFICATION OF ANY SORT THAT THEY EXISTED (UNTIL I BEGAN THE STAR AND SAW HARD ALTS DEPICTED). I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THESE NEW PROCS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED WITH NO NOTIFICATION TO THE FLYING PUBLIC AND NO TRAINING OR MENTION OF THEM HAS BEEN MADE; DESPITE THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WE SPEND EVERY YEAR FOR EXTENSIVE RECURRENT TRAINING.

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.