Narrative:

This is a synopsis of numerous events that have occurred since clt began using the RNAV departure procedures. I am treating this as a generic event; as this happens every time this particular situation occurs. Here is an actual example; however; I do not remember the flight number; but the communications with clt approach/departure control are as I recall them. We departed runway 18R in clt our clearance was JACAL2.naley as filed. We were instructed by tower to contact departure over girgy. Once we had passed zasro; the departure controller turned us to a heading of 360 degrees and 'expect to rejoin the departure at gladi.' reaching 8000 ft; we were cleared to 14000 ft and 'direct to gladi resume the departure.' I read back the same; however; the controller prompted us to read back 'comply with the restrs.' the controller was adamant that we read back the 'comply with the restrs' to him. Not wanting to accept a clearance that was confusing we queried the controller 'what are the restrs that you speak of?' the controller then informed us that he was required to get crews to read back the 'comply with the restrs' otherwise he could not clear us onto the RNAV departure. Having briefed many RNAV departures from clt; we were comfortable with the singular restr of 'do not exceed 280 KTS until advised by ATC' that is clearly noted on all departures from clt. The problem seems to originate with the vectored departures (hornet and panther) that also have the speed restrs; but we are not required to read back 'comply with the restrs.' it is very confusing for the ATC facility to hint at more than one restr by using the plural form and additionally not answering the question when asked. I believe that the 'comply with the restrs' instruction means the '...280 KT...' restr on the chart but we want to be certain that the controllers' expectation and the pilots' actions are the same.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PLT EXPRESSED CONFUSION REGARDING ATC'S PHRASEOLOGY; 'COMPLY WITH RESTRICTIONS;' USED ONLY FOR RNAV DEP PROCS.

Narrative: THIS IS A SYNOPSIS OF NUMEROUS EVENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE CLT BEGAN USING THE RNAV DEP PROCS. I AM TREATING THIS AS A GENERIC EVENT; AS THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION OCCURS. HERE IS AN ACTUAL EXAMPLE; HOWEVER; I DO NOT REMEMBER THE FLT NUMBER; BUT THE COMS WITH CLT APCH/DEP CTL ARE AS I RECALL THEM. WE DEPARTED RWY 18R IN CLT OUR CLRNC WAS JACAL2.NALEY AS FILED. WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY TWR TO CONTACT DEP OVER GIRGY. ONCE WE HAD PASSED ZASRO; THE DEP CTLR TURNED US TO A HDG OF 360 DEGS AND 'EXPECT TO REJOIN THE DEP AT GLADI.' REACHING 8000 FT; WE WERE CLRED TO 14000 FT AND 'DIRECT TO GLADI RESUME THE DEP.' I READ BACK THE SAME; HOWEVER; THE CTLR PROMPTED US TO READ BACK 'COMPLY WITH THE RESTRS.' THE CTLR WAS ADAMANT THAT WE READ BACK THE 'COMPLY WITH THE RESTRS' TO HIM. NOT WANTING TO ACCEPT A CLRNC THAT WAS CONFUSING WE QUERIED THE CTLR 'WHAT ARE THE RESTRS THAT YOU SPEAK OF?' THE CTLR THEN INFORMED US THAT HE WAS REQUIRED TO GET CREWS TO READ BACK THE 'COMPLY WITH THE RESTRS' OTHERWISE HE COULD NOT CLR US ONTO THE RNAV DEP. HAVING BRIEFED MANY RNAV DEPS FROM CLT; WE WERE COMFORTABLE WITH THE SINGULAR RESTR OF 'DO NOT EXCEED 280 KTS UNTIL ADVISED BY ATC' THAT IS CLEARLY NOTED ON ALL DEPS FROM CLT. THE PROB SEEMS TO ORIGINATE WITH THE VECTORED DEPS (HORNET AND PANTHER) THAT ALSO HAVE THE SPD RESTRS; BUT WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO READ BACK 'COMPLY WITH THE RESTRS.' IT IS VERY CONFUSING FOR THE ATC FACILITY TO HINT AT MORE THAN ONE RESTR BY USING THE PLURAL FORM AND ADDITIONALLY NOT ANSWERING THE QUESTION WHEN ASKED. I BELIEVE THAT THE 'COMPLY WITH THE RESTRS' INSTRUCTION MEANS THE '...280 KT...' RESTR ON THE CHART BUT WE WANT TO BE CERTAIN THAT THE CTLRS' EXPECTATION AND THE PLTS' ACTIONS ARE THE SAME.

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.