Narrative:

I landed at and took off from phl on oct/xa/03 without an IFR slot reservation. I checked NOTAMS prior to the flight and this was the one that applied: 'phl stmp see atcscc advisory 038 till nov/sat/03 XO59.' until today I have never seen the acronym stmp or atcscc. I wrongly assumed it was an ATC procedure using special routing or something and wouldn't be a factor for our flight. The only reason I found out about the slot reservation system at all was because I overheard 2 other pilots discussing their slot time. This happened only 5 mins before my passenger were scheduled to arrive and I didn't take the time to investigate further like I should have. There is no contact information in the NOTAM. It was only when I arrived home after the trip and looked at the website that I found that stmp -- special traffic management program and atcscc -- ATC system command center. A more simply worded NOTAM, something along the lines of 'IFR and VFR slot reservation required, contact FSS for details' would have prompted me to investigate further and make the required reservation. That being said, the safety of our flight and other flts arriving and departing was never compromised. The WX was perfect and we experienced only a slight delay inbound. When we departed at XA20, we taxied to the departure runway and took off without having any wait at all. I feel the crux of the problem is the cryptic nature of the NOTAM. Aviation is relying too heavily on acronyms when simple information would be much more useful. I have a 90 page book that is nothing but acronyms for the avionics system in my airplane. A NOTAM containing the words 'reservation required' and a contact number or website address would have prevented my error. To this moment, I have no idea how to find atcscc advisory 038 without contacting FSS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FA50 LANDS AND DEPARTS PHL WITHOUT RECEIVING SPECIAL TFC MGMNT PROGRAM (STMP) CLRNC FROM THE ATC SYS COMMAND CTR (ATCSCC).

Narrative: I LANDED AT AND TOOK OFF FROM PHL ON OCT/XA/03 WITHOUT AN IFR SLOT RESERVATION. I CHKED NOTAMS PRIOR TO THE FLT AND THIS WAS THE ONE THAT APPLIED: 'PHL STMP SEE ATCSCC ADVISORY 038 TILL NOV/SAT/03 XO59.' UNTIL TODAY I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE ACRONYM STMP OR ATCSCC. I WRONGLY ASSUMED IT WAS AN ATC PROC USING SPECIAL ROUTING OR SOMETHING AND WOULDN'T BE A FACTOR FOR OUR FLT. THE ONLY REASON I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE SLOT RESERVATION SYS AT ALL WAS BECAUSE I OVERHEARD 2 OTHER PLTS DISCUSSING THEIR SLOT TIME. THIS HAPPENED ONLY 5 MINS BEFORE MY PAX WERE SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE AND I DIDN'T TAKE THE TIME TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER LIKE I SHOULD HAVE. THERE IS NO CONTACT INFO IN THE NOTAM. IT WAS ONLY WHEN I ARRIVED HOME AFTER THE TRIP AND LOOKED AT THE WEBSITE THAT I FOUND THAT STMP -- SPECIAL TFC MGMNT PROGRAM AND ATCSCC -- ATC SYS COMMAND CTR. A MORE SIMPLY WORDED NOTAM, SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF 'IFR AND VFR SLOT RESERVATION REQUIRED, CONTACT FSS FOR DETAILS' WOULD HAVE PROMPTED ME TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER AND MAKE THE REQUIRED RESERVATION. THAT BEING SAID, THE SAFETY OF OUR FLT AND OTHER FLTS ARRIVING AND DEPARTING WAS NEVER COMPROMISED. THE WX WAS PERFECT AND WE EXPERIENCED ONLY A SLIGHT DELAY INBOUND. WHEN WE DEPARTED AT XA20, WE TAXIED TO THE DEP RWY AND TOOK OFF WITHOUT HAVING ANY WAIT AT ALL. I FEEL THE CRUX OF THE PROB IS THE CRYPTIC NATURE OF THE NOTAM. AVIATION IS RELYING TOO HEAVILY ON ACRONYMS WHEN SIMPLE INFO WOULD BE MUCH MORE USEFUL. I HAVE A 90 PAGE BOOK THAT IS NOTHING BUT ACRONYMS FOR THE AVIONICS SYS IN MY AIRPLANE. A NOTAM CONTAINING THE WORDS 'RESERVATION REQUIRED' AND A CONTACT NUMBER OR WEBSITE ADDRESS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED MY ERROR. TO THIS MOMENT, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO FIND ATCSCC ADVISORY 038 WITHOUT CONTACTING FSS.

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.