CE680 flight crew laments the numerous changes issued by pct after assigning a descend via clearance...

Attributes
ACN	1281967
Time
Date	201507
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZDC.ARTCC
State Reference	VA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Cessna Citation Sovereign (C680)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	STAR GIBBZ2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying First Officer
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 35 Flight Crew Total 11251 Flight Crew Type 2100
Person 2
Function	Captain Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 85 Flight Crew Total 12161 Flight Crew Type 85
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met Deviation - Altitude Undershoot Deviation - Procedural Clearance

Narrative:

The flight progressed normally until we were given the clearance to fly the gibbz 2 arrival and to descend via the gibbz 2. This occurred approximately 8 miles west of jimve intersection. We were at FL280 with clearance to cross jimve at flight level 210. The rate of descent to make that happen was not reasonable or normal for passenger comfort. I believe we missed the crossing restriction.flying into washington dulles (iad) often; we have experienced the controllers giving us the arrival with a descent via only to be vectored off course or a different altitude than required. This plays havoc with the avionics system trying to keep up or possible input errors in the reprogramming process which requires the pilot to manually fly the aircraft. I believe once the arrival clearance is given with descend via. If any changes are required they should be vectors to and descents to fixes and the original clearance not reissued.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CE680 Flight Crew laments the numerous changes issued by PCT after assigning a descend via clearance.

Narrative: The flight progressed normally until we were given the clearance to fly the GIBBZ 2 arrival and to descend via the GIBBZ 2. This occurred approximately 8 miles west of JIMVE intersection. We were at FL280 with clearance to cross JIMVE at flight level 210. The rate of descent to make that happen was not reasonable or normal for passenger comfort. I believe we missed the crossing restriction.Flying into Washington Dulles (IAD) often; we have experienced the controllers giving us the arrival with a descent via only to be vectored off course or a different altitude than required. This plays havoc with the avionics system trying to keep up or possible input errors in the reprogramming process which requires the pilot to manually fly the aircraft. I believe once the arrival clearance is given with descend via. If any changes are required they should be vectors to and descents to fixes and the original clearance not reissued.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.