A corporate pilot notes that RNAV arrivals are routinely assigned and then modified so that there is...

Attributes
ACN	816088
Time
Date	200812
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abq.airport
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl single value : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 40
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : geela
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 5150 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	816088
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We are cautious of RNAV arrivals; as the profile is rarely flown as shown. Controllers give a 'direct to' order which cancels the clearance to fly the RNAV arrival; but do not tell you that it cancels it. We were flying the geela 2 RNAV arrival to phx. Upon passing blh; I asked ATC for confirmation that we were cleared on the geela 2 as filed. The controller confirmed we were and assigned us to cross scole at FL250 via the geela 2. The following controller cleared us direct to geela intersection. Upon reaching scole we proceeded to geela as ordered and started a descent to cross geela at 11;000 ft. The controlling supervisor (different voice) came on and asked if we were cleared to descend. I answered we were cleared via the geela 2 by the previous controller and then were cleared direct geela by the present controller. He said we're not cleared; and then cleared us to continue the descent to cross geela at 11;000 ft. I questioned the controller about that; and he stated that we were not cleared 'via' (magic words) the geela 2; but just to geela intersection. After passing geela; we were then vectored to an ILS at phx so we basically only used 2 waypoints of the RNAV arrival. We understand that any clearance to a fix voids the preceding clearance to fly 'via' the RNAV arrival profile; and knowing that we checked with the first controller if we were cleared via the geela 2; but missed the direct geela without the 'via' and proceeded to descend via the profile. It is not clear when flying IFR in turbulence; that one clearance would assign you an arrival; but that another clearance voids it without explicitly saying so; especially when the arrival and the intersection have the same name. My experience shows that these arrivals are rarely flown as depicted; so I even filed the arlin 3 on preceding trips but was issued a clearance to fly the geela 2 as we are an RNAV approved aircraft filing ICAO flight plans.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A corporate pilot notes that RNAV arrivals are routinely assigned and then modified so that there is confusion over whether it is a 'via' clearance or not.

Narrative: We are cautious of RNAV arrivals; as the profile is rarely flown as shown. Controllers give a 'direct to' order which cancels the clearance to fly the RNAV arrival; but do not tell you that it cancels it. We were flying the GEELA 2 RNAV arrival to PHX. Upon passing BLH; I asked ATC for confirmation that we were cleared on the GEELA 2 as filed. The Controller confirmed we were and assigned us to cross SCOLE at FL250 via the GEELA 2. The following Controller cleared us direct to GEELA Intersection. Upon reaching SCOLE we proceeded to GEELA as ordered and started a descent to cross GEELA at 11;000 FT. The controlling Supervisor (different voice) came on and asked if we were cleared to descend. I answered we were cleared via the GEELA 2 by the previous Controller and then were cleared direct GEELA by the present Controller. He said we're not cleared; and then cleared us to continue the descent to cross GEELA at 11;000 FT. I questioned the Controller about that; and he stated that we were not cleared 'via' (magic words) the GEELA 2; but just to GEELA Intersection. After passing GEELA; we were then vectored to an ILS at PHX so we basically only used 2 waypoints of the RNAV arrival. We understand that any clearance to a fix voids the preceding clearance to fly 'via' the RNAV arrival profile; and knowing that we checked with the first controller if we were cleared via the GEELA 2; but missed the direct GEELA without the 'via' and proceeded to descend via the profile. It is not clear when flying IFR in turbulence; that one clearance would assign you an arrival; but that another clearance voids it without explicitly saying so; especially when the arrival and the intersection have the same name. My experience shows that these arrivals are rarely flown as depicted; so I even filed the ARLIN 3 on preceding trips but was issued a clearance to fly the GEELA 2 as we are an RNAV approved aircraft filing ICAO flight plans.

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.