Beech A-36 pilot concerned with ATC terminology.

Attributes
ACN	704176
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tmb.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1400 msl bound upper : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 36
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 2150 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	704176
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

I departed opf wbound and contacted mia departure/approach on 128.6 for flight following to tmb. Mia class B airspace is between the 2 airports. It is normal when departing north from tmb for mia approach to keep VFR traffic at or below 2000 ft until about 30 mi north of tmb. The usual phraseology is 'remain clear of class B.' however; I; and others; have noticed a number of the controllers say 'remain outside and below class B.' that phraseology makes no sense to me because if one is below class B one is also necessarily outside of it. I asked the controller about this and her explanation made no sense as she was saying outside means outside the geographical limits; not just below the various floors. Then; she cleared me to 1800 ft; which is below the floor where I was; but clearly within one of the layers (but below it). I don't know where the new phraseology came from; but the controllers shouldn't use it because it creates confusion and can waste time for the busy controllers and pilots.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BEECH A-36 PLT CONCERNED WITH ATC TERMINOLOGY.

Narrative: I DEPARTED OPF WBOUND AND CONTACTED MIA DEP/APCH ON 128.6 FOR FLT FOLLOWING TO TMB. MIA CLASS B AIRSPACE IS BTWN THE 2 ARPTS. IT IS NORMAL WHEN DEPARTING N FROM TMB FOR MIA APCH TO KEEP VFR TFC AT OR BELOW 2000 FT UNTIL ABOUT 30 MI N OF TMB. THE USUAL PHRASEOLOGY IS 'REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B.' HOWEVER; I; AND OTHERS; HAVE NOTICED A NUMBER OF THE CTLRS SAY 'REMAIN OUTSIDE AND BELOW CLASS B.' THAT PHRASEOLOGY MAKES NO SENSE TO ME BECAUSE IF ONE IS BELOW CLASS B ONE IS ALSO NECESSARILY OUTSIDE OF IT. I ASKED THE CTLR ABOUT THIS AND HER EXPLANATION MADE NO SENSE AS SHE WAS SAYING OUTSIDE MEANS OUTSIDE THE GEOGRAPHICAL LIMITS; NOT JUST BELOW THE VARIOUS FLOORS. THEN; SHE CLRED ME TO 1800 FT; WHICH IS BELOW THE FLOOR WHERE I WAS; BUT CLRLY WITHIN ONE OF THE LAYERS (BUT BELOW IT). I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE NEW PHRASEOLOGY CAME FROM; BUT THE CTLRS SHOULDN'T USE IT BECAUSE IT CREATES CONFUSION AND CAN WASTE TIME FOR THE BUSY CTLRS AND PLTS.

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.