Narrative:

1. We had been cleared for the ILS 25L approach into frankfurt. We were just outside of ledki at 4;000 on the localizer; waiting to intercept the glide slope. According to the approach plate; we could anticipate intercepting the final approach segment at ledki. Tower comes on the frequency and gives us the following clearance; '[flight number]; cleared to 3;000 ft on glide.' we had already been cleared for the approach. We interpreted this new set of instructions to mean; 'maintain altitude at 4;000 ft; upon reaching the glide slope; follow it down to 3;000 ft; still cleared for the ILS approach'. A few minutes later; tower called and asked why we hadn't started our descent to 3;000 ft. So we immediately started our descent; leveled off at 3;000 ft (still outside of ledki); intercepted the glide slope (now inside of ledki) and continued the approach. These were very poorly worded instructions from tower. 2. On short final; just above 1;000 ft; tower came on frequency again; confirmed our landing clearance for 25L; and then proceeded to give us turnoff instructions. Normally this would just be the turnoff taxiway from the active runway; but they continued to give us very detailed instructions as to where to taxi the aircraft after we have cleared the runway. This was way too much information to be passing on to an aircraft on short final. It should have been conveyed to us once we had cleared the active runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EDDF Tower gave a confusing clearance to a B747-400 Captain just outside LEDKI followed by taxi instructions on short final that the Captain considered poorly worded.

Narrative: 1. We had been cleared for the ILS 25L approach into Frankfurt. We were just outside of LEDKI at 4;000 on the Localizer; waiting to intercept the glide slope. According to the approach plate; we could anticipate intercepting the final approach segment at LEDKI. Tower comes on the frequency and gives us the following clearance; '[Flight number]; cleared to 3;000 FT on glide.' We had already been cleared for the approach. We interpreted this new set of instructions to mean; 'Maintain altitude at 4;000 FT; upon reaching the glide slope; follow it down to 3;000 FT; still cleared for the ILS approach'. A few minutes later; Tower called and asked why we hadn't started our descent to 3;000 FT. So we immediately started our descent; leveled off at 3;000 FT (still outside of LEDKI); intercepted the glide slope (now inside of LEDKI) and continued the approach. These were very poorly worded instructions from Tower. 2. On short final; just above 1;000 FT; Tower came on frequency again; confirmed our landing clearance for 25L; and then proceeded to give us turnoff instructions. Normally this would just be the turnoff taxiway from the active runway; but they continued to give us very detailed instructions as to where to taxi the aircraft after we have cleared the runway. This was way too much information to be passing on to an aircraft on short final. It should have been conveyed to us once we had cleared the active runway.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.