Narrative:

This narrative has to do with standardized ATC phraseology or lack of it. We were inbound to ord runway 14R. On final; I called runway 14R in sight and was given clearance for the ILS approach. I requested the visual and the controller said 'tell you what air carrier X; cleared the any approach.' I assumed we were cleared the visual approach. (Differentiation would help us decide which missed approach procedure to follow.) when I contacted tower at the FAF; I was told 'air carrier X; cleared to land.' I reported 'understand air carrier X is cleared to land runway 14R.' with the problems of runway incursions and near midair collision's here at ord; I would expect a landing clearance and a specific runway. When taxiing to the gate; the tower controller issued the following 'taxi to the gate.' I assume this meant taxi anyway you want to; to our assigned gate; which was X. I know that late at night at ord there isn't a lot of traffic in the air or on the ground; but I think that the ATC standard phraseology needs to be used all the time. This may help pilots and controllers out during those busy periods when we seem to have near midair collision's and runway incursions. After being an instructor for 8 yrs and having standardized phraseology emphasized to us to create a realistic ATC environment for our students; I am now wondering why ATC doesn't use the same standard phraseology that we hold our instructors to.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW QUESTIONED APCH AND TWR CTLR'S PHRASEOLOGY DURING LNDG AT ORD.

Narrative: THIS NARRATIVE HAS TO DO WITH STANDARDIZED ATC PHRASEOLOGY OR LACK OF IT. WE WERE INBOUND TO ORD RWY 14R. ON FINAL; I CALLED RWY 14R IN SIGHT AND WAS GIVEN CLRNC FOR THE ILS APCH. I REQUESTED THE VISUAL AND THE CTLR SAID 'TELL YOU WHAT ACR X; CLRED THE ANY APCH.' I ASSUMED WE WERE CLRED THE VISUAL APCH. (DIFFERENTIATION WOULD HELP US DECIDE WHICH MISSED APCH PROC TO FOLLOW.) WHEN I CONTACTED TWR AT THE FAF; I WAS TOLD 'ACR X; CLRED TO LAND.' I RPTED 'UNDERSTAND ACR X IS CLRED TO LAND RWY 14R.' WITH THE PROBS OF RWY INCURSIONS AND NMAC'S HERE AT ORD; I WOULD EXPECT A LNDG CLRNC AND A SPECIFIC RWY. WHEN TAXIING TO THE GATE; THE TWR CTLR ISSUED THE FOLLOWING 'TAXI TO THE GATE.' I ASSUME THIS MEANT TAXI ANYWAY YOU WANT TO; TO OUR ASSIGNED GATE; WHICH WAS X. I KNOW THAT LATE AT NIGHT AT ORD THERE ISN'T A LOT OF TFC IN THE AIR OR ON THE GND; BUT I THINK THAT THE ATC STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY NEEDS TO BE USED ALL THE TIME. THIS MAY HELP PLTS AND CTLRS OUT DURING THOSE BUSY PERIODS WHEN WE SEEM TO HAVE NMAC'S AND RWY INCURSIONS. AFTER BEING AN INSTRUCTOR FOR 8 YRS AND HAVING STANDARDIZED PHRASEOLOGY EMPHASIZED TO US TO CREATE A REALISTIC ATC ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS; I AM NOW WONDERING WHY ATC DOESN'T USE THE SAME STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY THAT WE HOLD OUR INSTRUCTORS TO.

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.