Pilot complaint about phraseology technique used by english controllers to clear aircraft onto runwa...

Attributes
ACN	80519
Time
Date	198801
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lhr
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : adq
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 154 flight time total : 26528 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	80519
Person 2
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Departing lhr was again impressed with the chance for error with the way lhr tower issued clrncs onto the runway for takeoff. Instead of saying, 'your sequence is (or will be),' or 'you're following so-and-so,' tower actually issued several clrncs, ahead, to several aircraft, ie, 'you are cleared onto the runway after a departs (or B lands),' even if there are 2, 3 or 4 aircraft ahead, and not necessarily in line (some at runway end and other(south) at intxns). If a portion of such transmission(south) is lost and aircraft only hears, 'cleared onto the runway,' etc, or aircraft mistakes preceding type or airline, there is chance for error. The risk of error would increase in reduced visibility.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT COMPLAINT ABOUT PHRASEOLOGY TECHNIQUE USED BY ENGLISH CTLRS TO CLEAR ACFT ONTO RWY FOR TKOF.

Narrative: DEPARTING LHR WAS AGAIN IMPRESSED WITH THE CHANCE FOR ERROR WITH THE WAY LHR TWR ISSUED CLRNCS ONTO THE RWY FOR TKOF. INSTEAD OF SAYING, 'YOUR SEQUENCE IS (OR WILL BE),' OR 'YOU'RE FOLLOWING SO-AND-SO,' TWR ACTUALLY ISSUED SEVERAL CLRNCS, AHEAD, TO SEVERAL ACFT, IE, 'YOU ARE CLRED ONTO THE RWY AFTER A DEPARTS (OR B LANDS),' EVEN IF THERE ARE 2, 3 OR 4 ACFT AHEAD, AND NOT NECESSARILY IN LINE (SOME AT RWY END AND OTHER(S) AT INTXNS). IF A PORTION OF SUCH XMISSION(S) IS LOST AND ACFT ONLY HEARS, 'CLRED ONTO THE RWY,' ETC, OR ACFT MISTAKES PRECEDING TYPE OR AIRLINE, THERE IS CHANCE FOR ERROR. THE RISK OF ERROR WOULD INCREASE IN REDUCED VIS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

Pilot complaint about phraseology technique used by english controllers to clear aircraft onto runway for takeoff.