Narrative:

The aircraft was en route to lax, direct sli at 7000 ft in handoff status to the los angeles arrival sector. The arrival sector advised my handoff person that the flight needed to make 1 '360 degree' turn, and then they would take radar. I advised aircraft X to 'make a right 360 degree turn back to sli for spacing.' (this is phraseology I had been using my entire career, thought was standard, and had never had any problem with before.) the pilot acknowledged. When after a few mi I did not observe a turn, I asked the pilot if he was beginning his turn. He answered, in a heavy accent, in the affirmative. In a couple more mi, the aircraft was rapidly approaching the airspace boundary and still had not turned. My handoff advised the adjacent sector that we were attempting to turn the aircraft, but were having difficulties. I then instructed aircraft X to 'turn right heading 140 degrees.' the pilot acknowledged, but still did not turn. Shortly, the pilot asked 'verify aircraft X was to turn left heading 3-4-0.' I now very firmly instructed the pilot 'negative, turn right immediately heading 1-4-0.' the aircraft finally turned. (He had crossed the airspace boundary.) the pilot never knew what I wanted him to do. I realize now that the correct phraseology is 'turn three hundred and sixty degrees right.' due to the pilot's limited knowledge of english, I'm not sure even this would have been understood. My spouse has since advised me that the ICAO phraseology is 'make a right orbit.' possibly the pilot would have been familiar with this phrase. I will try it in the future when necessary. In my opinion, united states phraseology needs to be standardized to the rest of the world. Considering the number of foreign aircraft flying in the united states. Luckily in this case, the arrival sector was able to take a pointout and no other traffic was a factor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SCT CTLR HAS DIFFICULTY GETTING NEW CLRNC ACROSS TO FOREIGN PLT WHO IS INSTRUCTED TO MAKE A R 360 DEG TURN.

Narrative: THE ACFT WAS ENRTE TO LAX, DIRECT SLI AT 7000 FT IN HDOF STATUS TO THE LOS ANGELES ARR SECTOR. THE ARR SECTOR ADVISED MY HDOF PERSON THAT THE FLT NEEDED TO MAKE 1 '360 DEG' TURN, AND THEN THEY WOULD TAKE RADAR. I ADVISED ACFT X TO 'MAKE A R 360 DEG TURN BACK TO SLI FOR SPACING.' (THIS IS PHRASEOLOGY I HAD BEEN USING MY ENTIRE CAREER, THOUGHT WAS STANDARD, AND HAD NEVER HAD ANY PROB WITH BEFORE.) THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED. WHEN AFTER A FEW MI I DID NOT OBSERVE A TURN, I ASKED THE PLT IF HE WAS BEGINNING HIS TURN. HE ANSWERED, IN A HVY ACCENT, IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. IN A COUPLE MORE MI, THE ACFT WAS RAPIDLY APCHING THE AIRSPACE BOUNDARY AND STILL HAD NOT TURNED. MY HDOF ADVISED THE ADJACENT SECTOR THAT WE WERE ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE ACFT, BUT WERE HAVING DIFFICULTIES. I THEN INSTRUCTED ACFT X TO 'TURN R HDG 140 DEGS.' THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED, BUT STILL DID NOT TURN. SHORTLY, THE PLT ASKED 'VERIFY ACFT X WAS TO TURN L HDG 3-4-0.' I NOW VERY FIRMLY INSTRUCTED THE PLT 'NEGATIVE, TURN R IMMEDIATELY HDG 1-4-0.' THE ACFT FINALLY TURNED. (HE HAD CROSSED THE AIRSPACE BOUNDARY.) THE PLT NEVER KNEW WHAT I WANTED HIM TO DO. I REALIZE NOW THAT THE CORRECT PHRASEOLOGY IS 'TURN THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY DEGS R.' DUE TO THE PLT'S LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF ENGLISH, I'M NOT SURE EVEN THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDERSTOOD. MY SPOUSE HAS SINCE ADVISED ME THAT THE ICAO PHRASEOLOGY IS 'MAKE A R ORBIT.' POSSIBLY THE PLT WOULD HAVE BEEN FAMILIAR WITH THIS PHRASE. I WILL TRY IT IN THE FUTURE WHEN NECESSARY. IN MY OPINION, UNITED STATES PHRASEOLOGY NEEDS TO BE STANDARDIZED TO THE REST OF THE WORLD. CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF FOREIGN ACFT FLYING IN THE UNITED STATES. LUCKILY IN THIS CASE, THE ARR SECTOR WAS ABLE TO TAKE A POINTOUT AND NO OTHER TFC WAS A FACTOR.

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.