Narrative:

Given runway 24L at cyul. We were on the franx.cedar 7 STAR. We programmed the FMS; but the FMS would not input this STAR into our route. The route and altitude of this STAR was manually built into the FMS. Both pilots reviewed the STAR and manually built FMS procedure. While flying the procedure on autoplt off of the FMS route; we were told to turn left to a heading after we already started a right turn at 'comav' fix. We were told that we had turned the wrong way. No separation from obstacles or aircraft was ever in jeopardy. After review of the procedure we realized the course expected. The STAR procedure is not clearly written. It is an RNAV STAR; but if manually built; this problem is likely to occur with other crews. Nowhere on the chart does it specify which 'dtw' to fly to for specific runways. The right turn we made; we thought; was for a left downwind to runway 24L (using 'dtw' ebgur). A change in wording to this procedure would prevent any confusion. For example a note saying: use 'XXX' dtw for runway 28; 'YYY' dtw for runway 24L/right. We notified our company and they agreed it is confusing as written. They will add a note on itineraries in future for crews to be careful on this STAR procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LR45 CREW COMMENTS THAT CYUL FRANX.CEDAR7 STAR WORDING DOES NOT CLEARLY DESCRIBE THE RWY 24L/R AND RWY 28 TRANSITIONS; CAUSING CONFUSION.

Narrative: GIVEN RWY 24L AT CYUL. WE WERE ON THE FRANX.CEDAR 7 STAR. WE PROGRAMMED THE FMS; BUT THE FMS WOULD NOT INPUT THIS STAR INTO OUR RTE. THE RTE AND ALT OF THIS STAR WAS MANUALLY BUILT INTO THE FMS. BOTH PLTS REVIEWED THE STAR AND MANUALLY BUILT FMS PROC. WHILE FLYING THE PROC ON AUTOPLT OFF OF THE FMS RTE; WE WERE TOLD TO TURN L TO A HDG AFTER WE ALREADY STARTED A R TURN AT 'COMAV' FIX. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE HAD TURNED THE WRONG WAY. NO SEPARATION FROM OBSTACLES OR ACFT WAS EVER IN JEOPARDY. AFTER REVIEW OF THE PROC WE REALIZED THE COURSE EXPECTED. THE STAR PROC IS NOT CLEARLY WRITTEN. IT IS AN RNAV STAR; BUT IF MANUALLY BUILT; THIS PROBLEM IS LIKELY TO OCCUR WITH OTHER CREWS. NOWHERE ON THE CHART DOES IT SPECIFY WHICH 'DTW' TO FLY TO FOR SPECIFIC RWYS. THE R TURN WE MADE; WE THOUGHT; WAS FOR A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 24L (USING 'DTW' EBGUR). A CHANGE IN WORDING TO THIS PROC WOULD PREVENT ANY CONFUSION. FOR EXAMPLE A NOTE SAYING: USE 'XXX' DTW FOR RWY 28; 'YYY' DTW FOR RWY 24L/R. WE NOTIFIED OUR COMPANY AND THEY AGREED IT IS CONFUSING AS WRITTEN. THEY WILL ADD A NOTE ON ITINERARIES IN FUTURE FOR CREWS TO BE CAREFUL ON THIS STAR PROC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.