Narrative:

Apparently we were cleared direct javit intersection with best forward speed. What PF head was direct gavnn. Cockpit task saturation was probably a factor. Note: two days later on the same arrival; we overheard confusion ensue between another aircraft ahead of us on the arrival. The controller definitely was pronouncing gavnn fix with a phonetic soft 'G' which is easily confused with javit over a radio transmission. The most effective solution for this problem is to rename either gavnn or javit. Any other suggestion; such as an emphasis on phonetic enunciation is merely a temporary fix and a half measure which most probably will lead to further confusion and a potential accident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPT RPTS SIMILAR SOUNDING INTXNS ON THE GAVNN 1 ARR INTO CVG.

Narrative: APPARENTLY WE WERE CLRED DIRECT JAVIT INTXN WITH BEST FORWARD SPD. WHAT PF HEAD WAS DIRECT GAVNN. COCKPIT TASK SATURATION WAS PROBABLY A FACTOR. NOTE: TWO DAYS LATER ON THE SAME ARR; WE OVERHEARD CONFUSION ENSUE BETWEEN ANOTHER ACFT AHEAD OF US ON THE ARR. THE CTLR DEFINITELY WAS PRONOUNCING GAVNN FIX WITH A PHONETIC SOFT 'G' WHICH IS EASILY CONFUSED WITH JAVIT OVER A RADIO XMISSION. THE MOST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR THIS PROB IS TO RENAME EITHER GAVNN OR JAVIT. ANY OTHER SUGGESTION; SUCH AS AN EMPHASIS ON PHONETIC ENUNCIATION IS MERELY A TEMPORARY FIX AND A HALF MEASURE WHICH MOST PROBABLY WILL LEAD TO FURTHER CONFUSION AND A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT.

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.