Narrative:

Confusing radio transmissions by ground controller resulting in a potentially inadvertent turn onto taxiway S2 at lfpg; runway 08L. Following left turn from apron at P west onto taxiway F due to opposing aircraft traffic; ground controller advised us to pull forward straight ahead onto taxiway S1 to allow aircraft to pass behind us. S1 painted on the taxiway as opposed to RT1 indicated on commercial chart. Further instructions were issued to pull straight ahead towards taxiway S1. However; at that time; taxiway S1 was completely filled with aircraft in queue from the runway holding point all the way back to taxiway C. Attempts at clarification were made but not acknowledged. Only a non-specific call from the controller to continue ensued. Meanwhile at taxiway S2; immediately to our left; only one other aircraft was awaiting takeoff. Lacking further clarification; we initiated left turn toward taxiway S2. Ground controller now came up and cleared us to the holding point for runway 08L on taxiway S2. Appropriate corrected takeoff data was obtained and inputted for intersection takeoff at taxiway S2; runway 08L. Switch to tower was instructed and performed; followed by uneventful departure. Whereas; nothing was said questioning our taxi procedures; I am submitting this report to bring attention to the confusion factor existent at lfpg during that time period. Due to the significant number of other aircraft taxiing and departing; along with numerous arrivals; there exists a tremendous potential for confusion and erroneous movement. I suggest that taxi instructions should be as complete and definitive as possible instead of partial instructions too easily forgotten and then lost in the large volume of radio activity. That certainly would have clarified our situation immediately. Finally; the commercial chart indicates RT1; whereas; taxiway S1 is painted on the taxiway and not indicated on the chart. Obviously; this only contributes to the confusion factor.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 FLT CREW RECEIVED CONFUSING TAXI INSTRUCTIONS; FURTHER AGGRAVATED BY TXWY MARKING NOT AS INDICATED ON PUBLISHED ARPT DIAGRAM.

Narrative: CONFUSING RADIO TRANSMISSIONS BY GND CTLR RESULTING IN A POTENTIALLY INADVERTENT TURN ONTO TXWY S2 AT LFPG; RWY 08L. FOLLOWING L TURN FROM APRON AT P WEST ONTO TXWY F DUE TO OPPOSING ACFT TFC; GND CTLR ADVISED US TO PULL FORWARD STRAIGHT AHEAD ONTO TXWY S1 TO ALLOW ACFT TO PASS BEHIND US. S1 PAINTED ON THE TXWY AS OPPOSED TO RT1 INDICATED ON COMMERCIAL CHART. FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS WERE ISSUED TO PULL STRAIGHT AHEAD TOWARDS TXWY S1. HOWEVER; AT THAT TIME; TXWY S1 WAS COMPLETELY FILLED WITH ACFT IN QUEUE FROM THE RWY HOLDING POINT ALL THE WAY BACK TO TXWY C. ATTEMPTS AT CLARIFICATION WERE MADE BUT NOT ACKNOWLEDGED. ONLY A NON-SPECIFIC CALL FROM THE CTLR TO CONTINUE ENSUED. MEANWHILE AT TXWY S2; IMMEDIATELY TO OUR L; ONLY ONE OTHER ACFT WAS AWAITING TAKEOFF. LACKING FURTHER CLARIFICATION; WE INITIATED L TURN TOWARD TXWY S2. GND CTLR NOW CAME UP AND CLRED US TO THE HOLDING POINT FOR RWY 08L ON TXWY S2. APPROPRIATE CORRECTED TAKEOFF DATA WAS OBTAINED AND INPUTTED FOR INTXN TAKEOFF AT TXWY S2; RWY 08L. SWITCH TO TOWER WAS INSTRUCTED AND PERFORMED; FOLLOWED BY UNEVENTFUL DEP. WHEREAS; NOTHING WAS SAID QUESTIONING OUR TAXI PROCS; I AM SUBMITTING THIS RPT TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE CONFUSION FACTOR EXISTENT AT LFPG DURING THAT TIME PERIOD. DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF OTHER ACFT TAXIING AND DEPARTING; ALONG WITH NUMEROUS ARRIVALS; THERE EXISTS A TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL FOR CONFUSION AND ERRONEOUS MOVEMENT. I SUGGEST THAT TAXI INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD BE AS COMPLETE AND DEFINITIVE AS POSSIBLE INSTEAD OF PARTIAL INSTRUCTIONS TOO EASILY FORGOTTEN AND THEN LOST IN THE LARGE VOLUME OF RADIO ACTIVITY. THAT CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE CLARIFIED OUR SITUATION IMMEDIATELY. FINALLY; THE COMMERCIAL CHART INDICATES RT1; WHEREAS; TXWY S1 IS PAINTED ON THE TXWY AND NOT INDICATED ON THE CHART. OBVIOUSLY; THIS ONLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE CONFUSION FACTOR.

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.