Narrative:

A B737 was on the GEELA5 (second day of the new procedure). The speed/altitude at scole is the same as the GEELA4; FL250 at 280 KTS. The B737 was at the end of a stream of around 10 aircraft. The aircraft in front of the B737 was assigned 270 KTS by ZLA60. The B737 did not have a speed in the data block meaning that they should comply with the 280 KTS published speed. When the B737 came over; they were much faster than the aircraft in front of them. I asked them their indicated; they said 305 KTS. I asked them if they had been assigned something by ZLA; they said they were issued 'resume normal speed.' I told them normal speed on an RNAV procedure means comply with the speeds on the procedure. I slowed them; gave them descend via; but due to an increasing compression problem; ended up having to turn them out to keep five miles. I don't really blame the pilot for this problem because a phrase should not have dual meanings in the system. In most cases; other than RNAV procedures; resume normal speed means disregard the previously assigned ATC speed and do whatever you want. In the case of RNAV procedures; it means do whatever you want up until the time you need to comply with the published speeds. This might be an endemic interpretation to ATC; but supposedly pilots have been given the same interpretive guidance. Obviously; due to continuing discontinuities with understanding between pilots and controllers; the education effort is not paying dividends. Like my last report; I believe the work group needs to be convened; collaboratively; to fix the education; procedural design problems; and FMS issues within the system. We all understand RNAV and rnp are the future of ATC; but latent error potential has to be fixed prior to the procedures proving themselves to be efficacious.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAB Controller voiced concern regarding the continuing confusion regarding the 'resume normal speed' phraseology as it relates to RNAV arrival procedures.

Narrative: A B737 was on the GEELA5 (second day of the new procedure). The speed/altitude at SCOLE is the same as the GEELA4; FL250 at 280 KTS. The B737 was at the end of a stream of around 10 aircraft. The aircraft in front of the B737 was assigned 270 KTS by ZLA60. The B737 did not have a speed in the data block meaning that they should comply with the 280 KTS published speed. When the B737 came over; they were much faster than the aircraft in front of them. I asked them their indicated; they said 305 KTS. I asked them if they had been assigned something by ZLA; they said they were issued 'resume normal speed.' I told them normal speed on an RNAV procedure means comply with the speeds on the procedure. I slowed them; gave them descend via; but due to an increasing compression problem; ended up having to turn them out to keep five miles. I don't really blame the pilot for this problem because a phrase should not have dual meanings in the system. In most cases; other than RNAV procedures; resume normal speed means disregard the previously assigned ATC speed and do whatever you want. In the case of RNAV procedures; it means do whatever you want up until the time you need to comply with the published speeds. This might be an endemic interpretation to ATC; but supposedly pilots have been given the same interpretive guidance. Obviously; due to continuing discontinuities with understanding between pilots and controllers; the education effort is not paying dividends. Like my last report; I believe the work group needs to be convened; collaboratively; to fix the education; procedural design problems; and FMS issues within the system. We all understand RNAV and RNP are the future of ATC; but latent error potential has to be fixed prior to the procedures proving themselves to be efficacious.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.