B767 flight crew is confused with ATC instruction at lfpg airport.

Attributes
ACN	608218
Time
Date	200402
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lfpg.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lfpg.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : lfpg.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	608218
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

When we got close to the runway lfpg, tower asked if we were ready for an immediate takeoff. We replied yes. We were then given a clearance to line up and wait. We read back the clearance as line up and wait. Proceeded onto the runway and lined up for takeoff. Saw on TCAS an aircraft approaching from behind and crew member said it was for parallel and to wait for tower to clear us for takeoff. Shortly after the tower asked if we had a problem, traffic was two miles out. We replied we had been cleared to line up and wait. Tower cleared us for takeoff immediately and we did. During climb out prior to frequency change, tower said our original clearance had been to line up and takeoff. We did not understand the french controller as saying that and all heard line up and wait. We were puzzled by the immediate takeoff question, and then the line up and wait, but did not question the tower as not enough time had elapsed to cause any of us alarm with the timing of the takeoff clearance we were expecting.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 FLT CREW IS CONFUSED WITH ATC INSTRUCTION AT LFPG ARPT.

Narrative: WHEN WE GOT CLOSE TO THE RWY LFPG, TWR ASKED IF WE WERE READY FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF. WE REPLIED YES. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A CLRNC TO LINE UP AND WAIT. WE READ BACK THE CLRNC AS LINE UP AND WAIT. PROCEEDED ONTO THE RWY AND LINED UP FOR TKOF. SAW ON TCAS AN ACFT APCHING FROM BEHIND AND CREW MEMBER SAID IT WAS FOR PARALLEL AND TO WAIT FOR TWR TO CLEAR US FOR TKOF. SHORTLY AFTER THE TWR ASKED IF WE HAD A PROB, TFC WAS TWO MILES OUT. WE REPLIED WE HAD BEEN CLEARED TO LINE UP AND WAIT. TWR CLEARED US FOR TKOF IMMEDIATELY AND WE DID. DURING CLIMB OUT PRIOR TO FREQ CHANGE, TWR SAID OUR ORIGINAL CLRNC HAD BEEN TO LINE UP AND TKOF. WE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE FRENCH CTLR AS SAYING THAT AND ALL HEARD LINE UP AND WAIT. WE WERE PUZZLED BY THE IMMEDIATE TKOF QUESTION, AND THEN THE LINE UP AND WAIT, BUT DID NOT QUESTION THE TWR AS NOT ENOUGH TIME HAD ELAPSED TO CAUSE ANY OF US ALARM WITH THE TIMING OF THE TKOF CLRNC WE WERE EXPECTING.

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.