Narrative:

The FAA recently changed a procedure to require all ATC controllers to specify every taxiway in an aircraft's (or vehicle; tug; etc) route in every taxi clearance. This has created situations where controllers are giving pilots 5-8 instructions in a taxi route compared to the 3 instructions which were normally given. In this latest occurrence which has prompted me to file this form; an air carrier attempted to read back the 5 instructions I gave him and mistakenly read back 'back-taxi runway 19R' instead of runway 19L. If the mistake had not been caught; a potential collision could have resulted. I strongly feel that giving so many meaningless taxiway letters as part of the clearance distracts pilots from the important details; as it did in this case. This new procedure has resulted in nothing but complaints from pilots; more frequency congestion; as it usually takes about 3 tries for a correct readback; and more potential for a controller to miss an important segment of the readback and increase the chances for a runway incursion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SNA CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING NEW DETAILED TAXI CLRNCS; LISTING FREQ CONGESTION; CONFUSION; AND READBACK ERRORS AS CONSEQUENCE.

Narrative: THE FAA RECENTLY CHANGED A PROC TO REQUIRE ALL ATC CTLRS TO SPECIFY EVERY TXWY IN AN ACFT'S (OR VEHICLE; TUG; ETC) RTE IN EVERY TAXI CLRNC. THIS HAS CREATED SITUATIONS WHERE CTLRS ARE GIVING PLTS 5-8 INSTRUCTIONS IN A TAXI RTE COMPARED TO THE 3 INSTRUCTIONS WHICH WERE NORMALLY GIVEN. IN THIS LATEST OCCURRENCE WHICH HAS PROMPTED ME TO FILE THIS FORM; AN ACR ATTEMPTED TO READ BACK THE 5 INSTRUCTIONS I GAVE HIM AND MISTAKENLY READ BACK 'BACK-TAXI RWY 19R' INSTEAD OF RWY 19L. IF THE MISTAKE HAD NOT BEEN CAUGHT; A POTENTIAL COLLISION COULD HAVE RESULTED. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT GIVING SO MANY MEANINGLESS TXWY LETTERS AS PART OF THE CLRNC DISTRACTS PLTS FROM THE IMPORTANT DETAILS; AS IT DID IN THIS CASE. THIS NEW PROC HAS RESULTED IN NOTHING BUT COMPLAINTS FROM PLTS; MORE FREQ CONGESTION; AS IT USUALLY TAKES ABOUT 3 TRIES FOR A CORRECT READBACK; AND MORE POTENTIAL FOR A CTLR TO MISS AN IMPORTANT SEGMENT OF THE READBACK AND INCREASE THE CHANCES FOR A RWY INCURSION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.