Narrative:

Was on 3RD and final hudson river sightseeing flight of morning, departing mirrostown, nj, airport sbound. Contacted new york approach, obtained squawk code and TCA clearance, which was 'proceed sbound until in my airspace, then direct to the newark runway 5 numbers, cross the numbers at 1400, cleared into the new york TCA'. I read back clearance, looked at TCA chart, and deduced that 'my airspace' (an odd phrase!) meant the 6.5 NM TCA ring. Proceeded as cleared, at 1400 ft. Spotted bizjet at my 2 O'clock, same altitude, converging. ATC then called me and said 'turn south and proceed as you were cleared', sounding annoyed. I turned about 20 degree right, let the bizjet pass, and proceeded on course. ATC proceeded the change of course with a call for the traffic, which was apparently on the ILS to teterboro. Observations: ATC should refrain from using phrases like 'my airspace' which may not be precisely understood by the pilot. Pilot should confirm during readback pilot's interpretation of phrases which might be subject to interpretation. I will do this in the future. (I.e., 'south until in my airspace' might become 'south until inside the 6 NM TCA ring'). New york approach should reexamine this transition procedure. A lower altitude, 1000-1200 ft, might produce less of a conflict with the teterboro ILS. Also, further advance warning of known crossing aircraft would be of great help to the pilot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA RECEIVES CLRNC INTO TCA, HAS CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH JET ON APCH NEAR EWR.

Narrative: WAS ON 3RD AND FINAL HUDSON RIVER SIGHTSEEING FLT OF MORNING, DEPARTING MIRROSTOWN, NJ, ARPT SBOUND. CONTACTED NEW YORK APCH, OBTAINED SQUAWK CODE AND TCA CLRNC, WHICH WAS 'PROCEED SBOUND UNTIL IN MY AIRSPACE, THEN DIRECT TO THE NEWARK RWY 5 NUMBERS, CROSS THE NUMBERS AT 1400, CLRED INTO THE NEW YORK TCA'. I READ BACK CLRNC, LOOKED AT TCA CHART, AND DEDUCED THAT 'MY AIRSPACE' (AN ODD PHRASE!) MEANT THE 6.5 NM TCA RING. PROCEEDED AS CLRED, AT 1400 FT. SPOTTED BIZJET AT MY 2 O'CLOCK, SAME ALT, CONVERGING. ATC THEN CALLED ME AND SAID 'TURN S AND PROCEED AS YOU WERE CLRED', SOUNDING ANNOYED. I TURNED ABOUT 20 DEG R, LET THE BIZJET PASS, AND PROCEEDED ON COURSE. ATC PROCEEDED THE CHANGE OF COURSE WITH A CALL FOR THE TFC, WHICH WAS APPARENTLY ON THE ILS TO TETERBORO. OBSERVATIONS: ATC SHOULD REFRAIN FROM USING PHRASES LIKE 'MY AIRSPACE' WHICH MAY NOT BE PRECISELY UNDERSTOOD BY THE PLT. PLT SHOULD CONFIRM DURING READBACK PLT'S INTERP OF PHRASES WHICH MIGHT BE SUBJECT TO INTERP. I WILL DO THIS IN THE FUTURE. (I.E., 'SOUTH UNTIL IN MY AIRSPACE' MIGHT BECOME 'S UNTIL INSIDE THE 6 NM TCA RING'). NEW YORK APCH SHOULD REEXAMINE THIS TRANSITION PROC. A LOWER ALT, 1000-1200 FT, MIGHT PRODUCE LESS OF A CONFLICT WITH THE TETERBORO ILS. ALSO, FURTHER ADVANCE WARNING OF KNOWN XING ACFT WOULD BE OF GREAT HELP TO THE PLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.