Narrative:

We were cleared the ILS runway 18R approach by approach control. We were established on the GS, the aircraft was configured for landing, (gear down flaps full). We were approximately .7-1 NM from tuffe OM and altitude was 2300-2200 ft MSL and descending on the GS. Then we were told to contact mco tower. After contacting the tower they asked us if we wanted runway 18L, and we said yes. Tower said cleared to land runway 18L and in the same sentence said cross the VOR at 2500 ft MSL. This caught us by surprise since there are no restrs noted on any of the approach plates or any NOTAMS noting this altitude restr. We were unable to comply with this altitude restr. Had we known about this or had adequate notification we could have complied with the crossing restr. Side note aircraft behind us was caught by surprise with same type of clearance, also the VOR approach runway 18L/right have a minimum crossing altitude of 2300 ft MSL at orlando/mco VOR. This should be noted on approach plates if you accept a visual to runway 18L you cross orl VOR at 2500 ft MSL or if you sidestep from runway 18R to runway 18L in visual conditions, approach control or tower advise you of the restr to cross the orl VOR at 2500 ft MSL, plus give you adequate time to make the transition. Proper notification of 2500 ft restr on the approach plates or by NOTAM would have cleared up any problems or confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LATE RWY CHANGE WITH AN ALT RESTR. ACFT WAS ON GS AND ALREADY BELOW THE RESTR OF 2500 FT. PRIMARY PROB WAS LATE TWR CLRNC AND, SINCE THE XING RESTR AT THE VOR MARKER FOR BOTH RWYS IS 2300 FT, IT IS UNKNOWN WHY THE 2500 FT WAS GIVEN. ORLANDO EXECUTIVE IS AT THE VOR MARKER, SO THERE MAY BE SOME COORD PROBS BTWN THE 2 ARPTS.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED THE ILS RWY 18R APCH BY APCH CTL. WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON THE GS, THE ACFT WAS CONFIGURED FOR LNDG, (GEAR DOWN FLAPS FULL). WE WERE APPROX .7-1 NM FROM TUFFE OM AND ALT WAS 2300-2200 FT MSL AND DSNDING ON THE GS. THEN WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT MCO TWR. AFTER CONTACTING THE TWR THEY ASKED US IF WE WANTED RWY 18L, AND WE SAID YES. TWR SAID CLRED TO LAND RWY 18L AND IN THE SAME SENTENCE SAID CROSS THE VOR AT 2500 FT MSL. THIS CAUGHT US BY SURPRISE SINCE THERE ARE NO RESTRS NOTED ON ANY OF THE APCH PLATES OR ANY NOTAMS NOTING THIS ALT RESTR. WE WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH THIS ALT RESTR. HAD WE KNOWN ABOUT THIS OR HAD ADEQUATE NOTIFICATION WE COULD HAVE COMPLIED WITH THE XING RESTR. SIDE NOTE ACFT BEHIND US WAS CAUGHT BY SURPRISE WITH SAME TYPE OF CLRNC, ALSO THE VOR APCH RWY 18L/R HAVE A MINIMUM XING ALT OF 2300 FT MSL AT ORLANDO/MCO VOR. THIS SHOULD BE NOTED ON APCH PLATES IF YOU ACCEPT A VISUAL TO RWY 18L YOU CROSS ORL VOR AT 2500 FT MSL OR IF YOU SIDESTEP FROM RWY 18R TO RWY 18L IN VISUAL CONDITIONS, APCH CTL OR TWR ADVISE YOU OF THE RESTR TO CROSS THE ORL VOR AT 2500 FT MSL, PLUS GIVE YOU ADEQUATE TIME TO MAKE THE TRANSITION. PROPER NOTIFICATION OF 2500 FT RESTR ON THE APCH PLATES OR BY NOTAM WOULD HAVE CLRED UP ANY PROBS OR CONFUSION.

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.